The term "pre-existing conditions" has become a catch-all to describe a certain category of health status, high-cost medical patients, and a popular provision of Obamacare under scrutiny in the health care reform process. It's applicable to all three of these things. But without understanding how, debate of the GOP's health bill has become further politicized and misinformed: What the legislation actually does to address consumers with pre-existing health conditions isn't clearly understood.
The latest and perhaps most egregious instance yet happened Sunday morning, when President Trump participated in a messy interview on CBS's Face the Nation. Trump brought up the issue of coverage for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions in the latest version of the American Health Care Act. After raising the point, host John Dickerson challenged Trump repeatedly to clarify and explain himself, leading to an inarticulate exchange that provided neither clarification nor helpful explanation of the Republican legislation.
The term "pre-existing" was used 18 times in the interview. Here is a review of the most relevant mentions, sometimes grouped together. First:
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Pre-existing conditions are in the bill. And I just watched another network than yours, and they were saying, "Pre-existing is not covered." Pre-existing conditions are in the bill. And I mandate it. I said, "Has to be."
The amended AHCA includes language that allows states to waive two of Obamacare's mandates on insurers, provided that the states demonstrate to the federal government how they would improve their insurance markets by doing so. One of these mandates relates directly to how much consumers with pre-existing conditions could be charged for coverage. But the mandate guaranteeing insurance to individuals who want it—including those with a pre-existing condition—is left alone. It is inaccurate to say the AHCA undoes the basic guarantee of medical coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.
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04.28.2024