Monday, May 22, 2017

AHCA being considered by US Senate
The American Health Care Act (AHCA), now is being considered by the US Senate the Senate, and if enacted will require Tennessee to decide if it wants to opt out of required two provisions “Essential health benefits,” mandates every individual health plan to cover services like maternity, hospitalizations, prescription coverage and mental health treatment. The second is the community rating provision which says premiums cannot be based on a consumer’s health status. Supporters of community rating argue that it is necessary to keep insurance affordable for people with pre-existing conditions. There are pros and cons regarding these regulations. Supporters say they make insurance better. Opponents say watered down plans though cheaper, do not cover the care that many consumers need. Tennessee’s Republican's have argued for returning healthcare to state control for years. But many Tennesseans would be affected negatively if the state drops the regulations. Tennessee is the seventh unhealthiest state in the country, and the Kaiser Family Foundation reports 30 percent of adult Tennesseans under 65 have a pre-existing condition. Tennessee could operate a “high risk pool,” for people who have no access to insurance. At one time such a plan, AccessTN. covered about 4,000 Tennesseans, but premiums could be more than $1,000 per month.


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