Pay More and Get Less: The GOP Healthcare Scheme

January 30, 2014

Republicans, after years of voting against healthcare reform, are finally displaying their vision for healthcare reform and it comes down to this: you pay more for less coverage.

It includes eliminating the most popular pieces of the Affordable Care Act, such as the mandate that insurers cover pre-existing conditions, and it will cost more. What a deal...for corporations! (But remember, corporations are people, too.

Here's a look at exactly how terrible the replacement plan is:

Denied Coverage for Pre-existing conditions
The GOP plan is written with a giant loophole allowing insurers to stop covering pre-existing conditions. It states that anyone who has not had continuous coverage, such as young Americans or people who experience a lapse in coverage between jobs, could be denied for having a pre-existing condition. (Source: NPR)

Women Pay More Than Men for Same Coverage
The Republican plan would bring back gender ratings, which allows insurance companies to charge women more than men for the same premium coverage. When this existed, it led to women paying $1 billion more than men. The Affordable Care Act ended this practice, but the GOP plan would bring it back. (Source: Think Progress)
Seniors Pay Even More
Senator Orrin Hatch, one of the authors of the proposed plan, was asked what to do about seniors who may have to pay more for his proposal. His response: "somebody has to pay for these things." (Source: Think Progress)
Tax Hike of $1,470 Per Year
Employees who have coverage through their employer would have to start paying taxes on 35% of their premiums. This creates incentive for employees to ask employers to provide cheaper (worse) coverage plans. (Source: NY Times, Forbes)
Return of Annual Coverage Limits
The Affordable Care Act did away with coverage limits, meaning the quality of your care is based on decisions by you and your doctor. But the GOP would plan would reinstate annual caps on how much insurance companies have to pay for the benefits you receive, meaning the quality of your care is based on decisions by corporate interests. (Source: National Journal)
Loss of Major Benefits
With the Affordable Care Act, insurance plans must cover preventive care, birth control and hospitalization. But the GOP plan would repeal all these benefits. (Source: National Journal)