Medicare Blog

how will republicans health care bill effect medicare

by Quinten O'Kon Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Will Republicans cut Social Security and Medicare after tax cuts pass?

Marco Rubio Makes It Clear: Republicans Will Cut Social Security And Medicare After Tax Cuts Pass

Will Senate Republicans balance the budget within a decade?

Just in time for this recovery, Senate Republicans are pushing for cuts to vital programs. According to news reports, five GOP senators are proposing a commission that would come up with proposals to balance the federal budget within a decade.

Do postal retirees have to switch to Medicare?

About 20% of postal retirees do not sign up for Medicare, preferring their current federal plan. Under this legislation, they would have to switch to Medicare, but they would keep a new Postal Service version of the FEHB plan as secondary coverage.

What does the Republicans want to repeal?

Republicans want to Cut Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, VA Healthcare, Minimum Wage, Obamacare, Food Stamps, Child Health Care and more. Republicans want to repeal every piece of legislation passed in the last 80 years which protects working people, children, the elderly or sick. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

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What impact is the Affordable Care Act expected to have on Medicare?

Medicare Premiums and Prescription Drug Costs The ACA closed the Medicare Part D coverage gap, or “doughnut hole,” helping to reduce prescription drug spending. It also increased Part B and D premiums for higher-income beneficiaries. The Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018 modified both of these policies.

Is Medicare going to be expanded?

No state has the power to expand Medicare, as it is a federal program. However, states are able to expand their Medicaid programs within federal guidelines. Will Medicare be expanded to include dental? Originally, the Democratic Senate's proposed included coverage for dental, vision, and hearing care.

What is the Medicare expansion in the new bill?

The Medicare expansion in President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion spending plan included fewer new benefits than some Democrats had hoped for. Medicare benefits would be expanded to include hearing coverage under a framework for a $1.75 trillion spending plan released by President Joe Biden on Thursday.

What is the Trumpcare plan?

What is Trumpcare? Trumpcare is the nickname for the American Health Care Act (AHCA). This plan was written by Republicans in the House of Representatives as a replacement plan for the ACA. The AHCA was voted on and passed in the House on May 4, 2017.

Is Medicare being lowered to 60?

More than 125 House lawmakers introduced legislation Friday that lowers the Medicare eligibility age to 60 from 65. The Improving Medicare Coverage Act — led by Reps.

Is Congress trying to cut Medicare Advantage?

Most of Congress warns CMS against any Medicare Advantage cuts, calls for benefit flexibility. A large swath of House and Senate lawmakers is pushing the Biden administration not to install any cuts to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans in the coming 2023 rates.

Is Medicare eligibility age changing?

Lowering the eligibility age and 2022 changes In summary, the changes have not yet come into effect but it is looking promising that the age may drop down to 60, assuming everyone can get on the same page.

What are the pros and cons of Medicaid expansion?

List of Medicaid Expansion ProsNot every low-income individual actually qualifies for Medicaid. ... Expansion would support local economies. ... It offers people a level of financial protection. ... Medicaid expansion drops the uninsured rate. ... The cost of expansion is minimal for the states.More items...•

Why did Florida not expand Medicaid?

Florida has set below-average limits for the mandatory coverage groups, and since the state has not accepted federal funding to expand Medicaid, the eligibility rules have not changed with the implementation of the ACA.

What's the difference between Obamacare and TrumpCare?

TrumpCare cuts most taxes on industry. This includes the 3.8% tax on high earners. ObamaCare taxes those who profit the most off of healthcare. Older Americans can be charged 5x more than young people under TrumpCare.

Is TrumpCare passed?

The American Health Care Act of 2017 (often shortened to the AHCA or nicknamed Trumpcare) was a bill in the 115th United States Congress. The bill, which was passed by the United States House of Representatives but not by the United States Senate, would have partially repealed the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

What is wrong Obamacare?

The ACA has been highly controversial, despite the positive outcomes. Conservatives objected to the tax increases and higher insurance premiums needed to pay for Obamacare. Some people in the healthcare industry are critical of the additional workload and costs placed on medical providers.

How many Americans support repeal of Obamacare?

Supporters of Obamacare also note that a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only a quarter of Americans support total repeal. Medicare, of course, is overwhelmingly popular with the 57 million seniors and disabled Americans who depend on it.

Who is the speaker of the House who wants to repeal Obamacare?

David Certner, a legislative expert with AARP, said the lack of specifics in Republican calls to repeal Obamacare were of great concern, as are proposals by House Speaker Paul Ryan to provide Medicare enrollees with premium-support payments, or vouchers, and let them buy health insurance in the private market.

How many votes are needed to repeal the individual mandate?

For example, while 60 votes would be required in the Senate to repeal the individual mandate, the financial penalties for not getting insurance might be removed via a reconciliation measure. Without penalties, the mandate would lack enforcement power and could be effectively killed without formal changes to the law.

What would happen if people didn't get health insurance?

If people were not required to get health insurance and insurance companies could not reject someone for coverage on health grounds, then only healthy people would get insurance and insurance companies could not make money insuring sicker persons unless they charged them unaffordably high premiums.

When is Medicare Advantage disenrollment period?

For those who’ve signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan, there also is a Medicare Advantage disenrollment period that runs from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14. You have the option then of moving into basic Medicare (Parts A and B) and also getting a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.

Will the Affordable Care Act be repealed?

It now looks like Republicans want to approve repealing the ACA early next year. Replacing it, however, could take years, assuming this is even possible.

Who wrote the book Get What's Yours for Medicare?

How plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act could affect Medicare. Editor’s Note: Journalist Philip Moeller, who writes widely on aging and retirement, is here to provide the answers you need in “Ask Phil.” Phil is the author of the new book, “Get What’s Yours for Medicare,” and co-author of “Get What’s Yours: The Revised Secrets ...

How much did Medicare cut in 2018?

Congressional Republicans proposed these cuts after passing a budget resolution last year that cut Medicare by $473 billion. The 2018 budget resolution passed by Republicans in December 2017 cut Medicare by $473 billion.

Can Medicare negotiate with drug manufacturers?

As the cost of drugs skyrocket, President Trump and his Republican allies in Congress will not allow Medicare to negotiate for better prescription drug prices. Under current law, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is explicitly prohibited from negotiating directly with drug manufacturers on behalf of Medicare Part D enrollees. Although it would decrease both federal spending and beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs, a policy allowing the federal government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries was noticeably absent from President Trump’s recent prescription drug announcement.

Did the ACA repeal the Medicare?

Congressional Republicans repealed several components of the ACA designed to help keep Medicare’s costs down, effectively driving up costs for the program. By repealing the requirement that most people have insurance, Congressional Republicans knowingly voted for a measure expected to increase the number of uninsured. The 2018 Medicare Trustees Report predicts that this increase will increase the share of subsidies paid to hospitals via Medicare. Similarly, by repealing the Independent Payment Advisory Board, Congressional Republicans took away a mechanism that slowed Medicare cost growth.

3. People with pre-existing conditions cannot be refused insurance

The AHCA would’ve allowed insurance companies to deny coverage to people with a pre-existing condition following a lapse in coverage. This clause is not expected to be included in the Senate version of the bill.

4. States do not have to cover essential health benefits

One key attribute of Obamacare was that insurance companies must cover “essential health benefits,” which includes things like maternity and newborn care, mental health care and substance abuse treatment, among others. The AHCA would allow each state to obtain waivers for covering those benefits. The Senate bill may contain similar provisions.

5. The fourth of July is the target date for a vote

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R - KY) stated that he hopes to hold the vote before July 4, which is when Congress goes on its summer recess.

Who is the Republican who slashed Social Security?

Robert Reich explains the longtime Republican plan to slash Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

How many people would lose health insurance?

Lawrence O’Donnell talks to Ezra Klein about the “catastrophic” CBO report – which estimates 22 million people would lose health care coverage – and GOP Rep. David Jolly shares his personal story of what happened when he found himself unemployed and uninsured. (June 26, 2017)

How much debt did the Bush administration have?

Under president Bush, Republicans ran up a huge debt of 10 Trillion Dollars. Now, they want to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle class, by cutting food stamps, social security, medicare and medicaid while refusing to cut military spending.

What do Paul Ryan and Republicans want to do?

Paul Ryan and Republicans want to give tax breaks to the rich and make the middle class & the poor pay for those tax breaks by increasing their taxes AND cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Did the Senate GOP draft a secret health care bill?

Senate GOP drafted a secret, partisan health care bill behind closed doors, refusing any meaningful bipartisan input on the bill and refusing to hold any hearings on this legislation that would impact one sixth of our economy. Senate Democrats today urged the GOP to reverse course on this tactic and release to the public the legislation that would impact the health and bottom lines of millions of Americans. (Jun 13, 2017)

Will Trump cut Medicare?

Despite Trump’s promises NOT to cut Medicare, Medicaid & Social Security, that is exactly what he intends to do IF he is re-elected in 2020.

Did Democrats succeed in keeping the benefit cuts out of the short term fiscal cliff?

Democrats in Congress succeeded in keeping these devastating benefit cuts out of the short-term “fiscal cliff” deal. Unfortunately, important leverage was also lost. Washington’s well-financed anti-entitlement lobby continues to pretend that “shared sacrifice” means that if a millionaire loses a tax break (which he or she doesn’t need and America can’t afford) then the middle-class and poor must also pay more for or risk losing their health care benefits in Medicare and Medicaid. [Source: http://ncpssm.org/EntitledtoKnow/entryid/1962/Cutting-Medicare-Medicaid-Social-Security-in-the-113th-Congress]

The Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is under attack in New Orleans’s 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

How Trumpcare would affect Medicare

Although Medicare is separate from ACA marketplace plans, Trumpcare could still affect Medicare coverage due to provisions buried within the bill.

Trumpcare vs. Medicare for All

Although Democrats running for president are split on how to best go about reforming the American healthcare system, they all agree that it needs reforming.

When did the Cares Act expire?

The pandemic-related deficits are mainly temporary. Congress enacted the CARES Act in March 2020, which offered temporary relief mainly to families, unemployed workers and closed business. Most of its provisions expired in the second half of 2020. The newly elected Congress then enacted the American Rescue Plan in March 2021.

What are the immediate benefits of a tax increase?

The immediate benefits are less inequality and better health outcomes, both of which ultimately support stronger economic growth. Improving revenues for these programs by, for example, increasing payroll taxes on the top income earners will ultimately result in stronger growth and shrinking federal deficits.

What was Donald Trump's signature legislative achievement?

Donald Trump’s signature legislative achievement was the Tac Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. It showered trillions of dollars on highly profitable corporations and the richest American households that had seen the largest economic gains in the wake of the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009. Moreover, many provisions of this tax legislation are now permanent fixtures of the tax code and many temporary ones, such as tax cuts for high-income earners will likely become permanent, if past supply-side tax cuts are any indication.

Is the program cutting push for a balanced budget wrong?

The program-cutting push for a balanced budget ignores two key aspects of fiscal policy. First, it matters whether fiscal interactions create temporary or permanent deficits and second, it matters whether the spending or tax cuts underlying the deficits resulted in faster growth. On both counts, using the pandemic-related fiscal measures to justify cuts for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is wrong.

Does the Cares Act help the economy?

In contrast, the CARES Act offered much needed relief amid the worst unemployment crisis since the Great Depression, while it helped to stem the tide on declining economic growth. And experts predict that ARPA will boost economic growth to its highest rate in decades.

Is a balanced budget a public goal?

But a balanced budget is a completely arbitrary public finance goal. A country that has strong growth amid historically low interest rates can and will shrink its debt burden – defined as either the ratio of debt to gross domestic product (GDP) or as the share of interest payments out of GDP.

Did the Republican senators push for Medicare and Social Security?

Republican Senators Push Social Security, Medicare And Medicaid Cuts After Supporting Ineffective Tax Cuts. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The economy is recovering from the depths of the pandemic in large part due to the massive relief packages that Congress passed in 2020 and 2021.

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Universal Coverage vs. Market-Based Reforms

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Democrats generally continue to support the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but would like to fix its flaws and generally improve the law. Democrats want to empower states to use innovation waivers (1332 waivers) to create their own approaches to healthcare reform that are as good as—or better than—the current system. Many Democrats also support fixing ...
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Medicaid Expansion

  • Medicaid expansion is a cornerstone of the ACA and accounts for a significant portion of the increase in the number of Americans who have health insurance. The ACA called for Medicaid to be expanded in every state, to provide coverage to people with household income up to 138% of the poverty level.8 But the Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that Medicaid expansion would be optional for states, and as of 2020, there were still 14 states that had …
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Premium Subsidies and Affordability

  • The ACA's premium subsidies (premium tax credits) were designed to keep health insurance affordable for people who buy their own coverage in the individual market. Premiums for individual market plans increased alarmingly in 2017 and 2018, although they were much more stable in 201915 and 2020,16 and rate changes for 2021 appear to be mostly modest.17But premiums for people who aren't eligible for premium subsidies can still amount to a su…
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Contraceptives and Abortion

  • In general, there's a fairly strong split between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to the abortion debate. The Democratic Party's platform notes that "every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive healthcare services, including safe and legal abortion."14 while the GOP is "firmly against" abortion. The Trump Administration finalized a rule in 2019 that prevents Planned Parenthood and similar organizations from receivin…
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Pre-Existing Conditions

  • The ACA changed the face of individual health insurance by making it guaranteed-issue in every state, regardless of pre-existing conditions. Group health insurance plans (ie, employer-sponsored plans) already had to cover pre-existing conditions, but they could impose pre-existing condition waiting periods prior to 2014 (to be clear, insurers were allowed to charge employers higher premiums in many states based on the group's claims history…
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Prescription Drug Costs

  • Democrats want to limit monthly out-of-pocket costs for pharmaceuticals (the concern here is high-cost specialty drugs, which are typically covered with coinsurance—a percentage of the cost—rather than flat copays; some states have already capped out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions). Democrats also want to end "pay for delay," (a practice that keeps low-cost generics drugs out of the market), eliminate the current ban on Medicare negotiatin…
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