The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on a revised version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA).
Among the provisions negatively impacting public health in your community and state, AHCA eliminates the critical Prevention and Public Health Fund starting in Fiscal Year 2019, cutting more than $16 billion in federal funding for public health over the following ten years.
The bill revises or eliminates essential health benefits requirements for insurance plans - among them maternity services, mental health services, and addiction services. The bill also calls for capping and/or block granting Medicaid (placing WIC mothers and children at risk.)
Arguments suggesting the AHCA gives states flexibility are erroneous as AHCA reduces money to states, cuts people from health care, and ties states' and individuals' hands.
A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of AHCA shows similar draconian results to the earlier assessment. According to CBO, the new version would lead to a saving of $186 billion, less than the previous score of $327 billion, with 24 million individuals still losing health coverage.
Among those opposing the AHCA are the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, and the American Cancer Society.
We need your voice in protecting the Affordable Care Act and opposing this harmful bill!