NO to Cruz’s Amendment to the
Better Care Reconciliation Act Also: JUST NO Ted Cruz has added an amendment to the Better Care (ha!) Reconciliation Act (their dumb name for repeal-and-replace) which has an extremely negative effect. It would allow insurers to offer two kinds of plans, one where the medically-risky pay the same as the healthy, and the other where they can be charged more. Low-income individuals would be given a subsidy. BUT (taken from a Forbes Magazine article): It's hardly unreasonable, I think to imagine that in BCRA world with the Cruz amendment a "Bronze" community rated policy -- one that covered you and priced you regardless of medical condition -- would cost a 40 year old $10,000 per year. Suppose our individual earns $40,000 per year. Under section 102 of the BCRA, that individual would be entitled to a subsidy of $5442, meaning the net premium would be $4,558 (about 11.4% of pre-tax income): a big-time stretch but perhaps affordable. Suppose, however, our 40 year old gets a raise or finds a better-paying job such that their income goes up by 5% to $42,000. Because Republicans cut off the subsidy if income exceeds 350% of the "applicable federal poverty limit" ($11,880), now the subsidy completely disappears and the same policy costs $10,000, something our individual almost certainly can not afford. In essence a 272% tax has been imposed on the individual's raise. Action:
Call your senators to express these views. Call Cruz. If you have time, also keep pushing the ten swing senators - pick a state where you live, are near, or have the most friends - call, email, Tweet.
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