The number one concern of people in the 12th District is the future of the American health care system. This is a primary concern of mine, and why I wanted to give you more information on what is happening now in Washington.
Dear Friend,
Yesterday the House voted to pass the American Health Care Act, which will repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. This is the first important step to change the law. Now the Senate will have the opportunity to improve this legislation, after which the newly amended bill will return to the House for review, and then finally be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
I have spoken with many of you about your thoughts on the American Health Care Act, and have heard a lot of concerns related to pre-existing conditions. I share your concerns and want to take this opportunity to clear up some misinformation on that topic.
Under the American Health Care Act it is still illegal for an insurance provider to deny someone coverage solely because they have a pre-existing condition. This important protection was implemented under the Affordable Care Act, and I agree it needs to be maintained.
In addition, this bill provides funding to states so they have the flexibility to do what is best for their citizen’s unique needs and those that are most vulnerable. One proven method of helping these individuals is high-risk pools. High-risk pools offer non-group health coverage to those that are at risk of being charged higher premiums because of their age or health status. Those that qualify to enroll in a high-risk pool receive subsidized health plans that help keep their premiums down. Before the Affordable Care Act, Texas had one of the most successful high-risk pools in the nation and many of my constituents have asked for its return.
While this legislation is not perfect, I felt it was important to keep my promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. As this legislation moves forward and improvements are made to the legislation, I will continue to keep you informed.
Sincerely,
Kay Granger
Member of Congress