Illinois health care advocates cheer GOP bill’s demise, worry about future
Despite the bill's downfall, challenges remain in
"We can stop and take a breath and regroup, (but) I wouldn't say celebrate because I don't think the work is over," said
The
Obamacare will remain in place for the "forseeable future," Ryan said Friday.
Starting in 2020, the bill would have effectively frozen
The bill would also have repealed Obamacare's requirement that everyone have health insurance or pay a penalty.
Hospitals feared the bill would have led to fewer people with health insurance in
Higher costs for hospitals could have meant cuts to services and programs, the
Still,
Peller, with the
Many Americans have embraced certain parts of Obamacare, such as its requirement that young adults be allowed to stay on their parents' insurance plans until age 26; its prohibitions on insurers imposing lifetime and annual coverage caps; and its injunction against insurers denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, among other things.
But frustration with the law peaked last fall when consumers shopping for coverage on its exchanges found higher prices and fewer options.
Statewide, 2017 rates across all plans on the exchange increased by an average of 44 to 55 percent for the lowest-priced coverage. In
Consumers also often had a hard time finding exchange plans that included their doctors and preferred hospitals in-network.
"The way it stands today, the costs are too high (and) something needs to be done with the networks to help individuals in all the counties throughout
Experts agree that despite not passing a bill, the Trump administration has power to undermine the law in other ways, such as through new rules.
Plus, questions remain about whether insurers will want to continue offering plans on
Whether insurers stay on the exchanges will depend largely on what happens over the next few weeks, said
"Insurers don't know what to expect next, and insurers like stability," Jost said.
A spokeswoman for
Given the remaining uncertainty, the work of consumer advocates and health care leaders isn't over yet, Peller said. In recent weeks, the bill's opponents held numerous protests and events across
"The folks who support the Affordable Care Act and the folks who are getting lifesaving insurance because of the Affordable Care Act have had an opportunity to get their voices heard and have been heard, but I don't think things are done for consumers," Peller said.
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