Civic Register
| 9.19.17

New GOP Healthcare Bill: How Will It Affect Women?

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What’s the story?

In the Graham-Cassidy bill, Senate Republicans have resuscitated their attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

While Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana argue how their bill is different from its predecessors, some critics have argued that it’s different because it’s worse—especially for women.

Before we get to women specifically, let’s look at a basic summary of the bill.

What’s in the Graham-Cassidy bill?

At its heart, the bill essentially gives states control of the health-care markets. So rather than the federal government funding Medicaid and providing subsidies, the money would be given to states in the form of a block grant. States could then use these funds to develop any health-care system they choose.

"If you like Obamacare, you can keep it," Graham said. “If you want to replace it, you can.”

However, compared to current spending, under the Cassidy-Graham bill, Medicaid expansion and subsidy funding would be cut sharply—by a third in 2026, and completely in 2027.

Other changes include:

  • The individual mandate would be completely eliminated.

  • The employer mandate would be eliminated.

  • Insurers would be able to charge older customers up to five times as much as they charge younger customers. (States could override this.)

  • For states that expand Medicaid, the federal government would pay a smaller portion of the cost starting in 2020.

How are women affected?

With how the new bill is set up – the block grants – one group that would be especially affected is women. Here are some of the ways the bill impacts women’s health:

  • Like the previous "skinny repeal," this bill strips Planned Parenthood of federal funding for one year.

  • The bill also includes a provision that essentially bans the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for care at Planned Parenthood clinics.

  • States could change what qualifies as an "essential health benefit," allowing insurers to stop covering maternity care.

  • Patients who received a tax credit to buy insurance on the individual market wouldn’t be able to use the credit to purchase insurance that includes abortion coverage.

  • Similarly, small businesses that received tax credits for providing their employees with insurance would be banned from offering plans that cover abortion.

  • One in five adult women get their health insurance through Medicaid—the Cassidy-Graham bill ends the Medicaid expansion.

What’s been the reaction?

Mixed, as expected.

As reported in Countable’s earlier story on the bill, the right-leaning Family Research Council said Graham-Cassidy is the "best chance" for Republicans to "stop taxpayer funding of abortion and redirect tax dollars away from the nation's largest abortion business, Planned Parenthood."

The above quotation came from a joint statement between the Family Research Council and Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life organization. Later in the statement, the presidents of both organizations urge Congress to

"keep their promise and repeal Obamacare and end the forced partnership between taxpayers and Planned Parenthood. Failure to keep their promise to voters will bring into question whether this Congress can truly be called the ‘pro-life Congress.’"

Planned Parenthood Vice President of Public Affairs, Jodi Liggett, said in a statement:

"Planned Parenthood patients and supporters have stayed vigilant and are at the ready to take action against legislation that blocks them from the care they rely on. Simply put, with this latest version of Trumpcare, Americans will pay more and get less, but women will pay the biggest price of all."

Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California shared similar sentiments, tweeting, "Don’t sleep on the Graham-Cassidy ‘health care’ bill. It will defund Planned Parenthood & cost millions coverage. We need everyone shouting."

What do you think?

Do you agree with the Family Research Council and Susan B. Anthony List that "Lives depend on Congress’ leadership and action to enact the Graham-Cassidy bill"? Or do you side with Planned Parenthood that “with this latest version of Trumpcare, Americans will pay more and get less, but women will pay the biggest price of all”? Hit the Take Action button, tell your reps how to vote, then tell your fellow citizens what to tell their reps below.

– Josh Herman

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(Photo Credit: Jodi Jacobson / iStockphoto)