House Democrats introduced a proposal today to extend consumer protections to people who keep their shitty, outdated insurance plans throughout the next year.
Republicans objected to that proposal today because they don’t believe the Department of Health and Human Services should be allowed to “take corrective actions if health insurance rates are determined to be excessive, unjustified, or discriminatory.” Because if insurance companies aren’t allowed to charge excessive, unjustified, or discriminatory amounts, it’s the end of America or at least the end of the “best healthcare delivery system in the world.”
Democrats offered their “motion to recommit” as an alternative to a proposal introduced by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) that allows insurers to maintain their existing policies and permits issuers to offer these plans to new customers. The Democrats’ version only extends grandfather status to current policyholders who have received cancellation notices and includes consumer protections missing from the Upton bill. For instance, the measure mandates that insurers notify policyholders of exchange options and consumer protections. It also explicitly clarifies that existing rate review authorities apply to renewed plans.
It’s quite simple. Republicans have no interest in fixing or improving anything. They want to go back to the old system. They want to repeal Obamacare.
This latest cancellation farce is just another attempt to dismantle the law piece by piece, bill by bill. They care about nothing as much as they do taking away healthcare from hundreds of thousands of people. It’s what Jesus would do.