The American Health Care Act (AHCA) will be voted on as early as 10 a.m. E.T. Friday morning.
The much-contested bill has undergone some changes in an effort to garner support from the House Freedom Caucus, while the moderate Tuesday Group has been increasingly backing away.
Here are the changes to the bill that will be a part of the AHCA tomorrow morning:
Page 1. The first two amendments delay repeal of the Additional Medicare Tax Increase to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and make a conforming change to the underlying text.
Page 1-3. Adds maternity coverage and newborn care to the use of funds for the Patient and State Stability Fund. Provides clarification that mental health and substance use disorder services within the fund includes inpatient and outpatient clinical care for treatment of addiction and mental illness; and early identification and intervention for children and young adults with serious mental illness.
Appropriates an additional $15 billion to the Patient and State Stability Fund solely devoted to States for maternity coverage and newborn care, and mental health and substance use disorders.
Page 3. This addition requires states to determine essential health benefits, beginning in 2018, for purposes of the premium tax credit.
The maternity and mental health aspects of the ACHA have been troubling to many. The politics of women’s health and the fact that medical professionals consider the country’s opioid epidemic the worst public health crisis in U.S. history are key motivators. This issue has been a non-starter if not protected for moderate Republicans.
The essential health benefits mandate that causes health insurance plan premiums to unnecessarily increase has been a major sticking point for House conservatives.
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