Congress is now poised to dismantle Obamacare.
Today’s vote by the House of Representatives on a budget measure will allow Congressional Republicans to repeal major portions of the Affordable Care Act without threat of a Democratic filibuster in the Senate.
The Senate passed the measure yesterday.
The budget measure is “a critical first step toward delivering relief to Americans who are struggling under this law,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a floor speech today.
“Our goal is a truly patient-centered system, which means more options to choose from, lower costs and greater control over your coverage,” Ryan said. “And as we work to get there, we will make sure that there is a stable transition period so that people don’t have the rug pulled out from under them.”
The 227 to 198 vote was largely along party lines, with 10 House Republicans breaking ranks today to vote no.
First Congressional District Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) voted yes on the measure. He has supported repealing the ACA since first elected to Congress in 2014.
“Obamacare has been nothing short of a disaster for countless hardworking families and our economy,” Zeldin said in a statement. “Obamacare has resulted in higher premiums, higher deductibles, lost doctors, and canceled policies, among many other challenges.”
Republicans have not yet put forth a specific plan for a replacement. In a televised news conference Wednesday, President-elect Donald Trump promised repeal would not come without replacement. He said the two would occur simultaneously, or nearly so.
The lack of a clear replacement plan worries people who’ve purchased health insurance on the ACA marketplace — especially people currently coping with major illness, like Sarah Christ of Riverhead.
Christ, 50 and the mother of three young children, was diagnosed last month with an aggressive form of lung cancer.
“This happened very fast, a swift, out-of-the blue diagnosis,” she said today. “I went to the doctor Nov. 30 thinking I had a touch of pneumonia and I had lung cancer that had spread throughout my body,” she said.
“I’m already in my second chemo cycle and I haven’t even processed that I’m sick.”
Christ is worried about her health insurance coverage, a plan she bought on the New York State of Health marketplace.
“I’ve heard nothing about any safety net or any plan they have to protect people who are relying on this for their plan,” she said.
“I’m not going to say it’s a perfect system, but this coverage is what’s keeping me alive,” Christ said. “Is it going to disappear? And who will insure me with this condition?”
“Will I be able to get coverage? What kind of coverage? And what will it cost?” she asked.
“This is the most stressful thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life and this is adding to it.”
Riverhead insurance broker Karl Washwick said because Christ lives in New York, she should not be concerned about losing coverage because of her pre-existing condition or that her premium cost will go up because of it.
“That went out the window in 1993,” Washwick said. Under New York law, you can’t be turned down for coverage or charged more because you’re sick, he said.
Washwick believes many aspects of Obamacare were wrongheaded and should be scrapped: mandatory coverage, penalties for not carrying insurance, the bundle of “essential benefits” all plans must include.
“I think people should have more freedom of choice,” Washwick said.
Before the ACA, people could buy a hospitalization plan without major medical insurance. It was more affordable and the right choice for some, he said. People could also forego prescription drug coverage.
Inclusion of the 10 essential benefits required by Obamacare drove costs — and premiums — up, he said.
But the comprehensive nature of Obamacare is a big benefit, according to Tom Schlichter of Southold.
“The Affordable Care Act lowered the price of healthcare for me and allowed me to get more comprehensive healthcare,” Schlichter said.
“It covers all the basics and preventative care is free under it, so you’re more likely to go to the doctor, or go for screenings, which helps you stay healthy,” Schlichter said. “As a parent, I loved the fact that my kids could stay on my insurance until age 26,” he said.
A cancer survivor — his Hodgkin’s Lymphoma has been in remission for more than 10 years — he, too, is concerned about pre-existing condition coverage.
“I don’t feel it needs to be repealed,” Schlichter said. “It needs to be tweaked. Both parties should work together to make it the best it can possibly be.”
