Tearful Kimmel monologue precedes warning to Fla. on Obamacare repeal

May 04--Late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel tearfully spoke of his son's heart surgery and asked Congress not to raise costs on sick people, rousing Obamacare supporters and irking backers of a proposed GOP health overhaul -- with one calling it "cheap."

On Wednesday, American Medical Association president Andrew W. Gurman said that Florida's 3.1 million people with pre-existing conditions could find themselves priced out of coverage under the latest proposal.

Proposals such as letting states allow insurers to charge sick people more in "high-risk pools" darken the picture for millions in Florida who have heart problems, diabetes and other conditions, he said.

"These people, our family members, neighbors and friends, would take a huge step backwards," Gurman said.

In the opening monologue of his show on Monday night, Kimmel recounted on the air how heart surgery saved his young son's life, and he urged legislators not to take away protections that make covering costly illness more affordable for families who don't have the resources he does.

"If your baby is going to die and it doesn't have to, it shouldn't matter how much money you make," he said. "I think that's something that whether you're a Republican or a Democrat or something else, we all agree on that, right?"

That did not sit so well with conservative pundit Matt Lewis, talking on CNN.

"I thought it was cheap," Lewis began. "As a father, I can understand, I can try to understand. President Obama said being a dad and having a child is like having your heart living outside your body. So I completely understand where Jimmy Kimmel is coming from, the passion I think is sincere. I don't think that this is the right move for him to do to politicize this. This is a guy who is incredibly rich, of course, he's not going to have a problem."

Debate on the latest effort by congressional Republicans to deliver on an Obamacare repeal and replacement effort -- which may face a vote Thursday -- has focused on protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

Discussions about boosting proposed federal support by an extra $8 billion to help states with high-risk pools still don't resolve fundamental issues with the House GOP's American Health Care Act, Gurman said. The Congressional Budget Office projected it would push 24 million people out of health insurance. In addition, many people, such as those 50 to 64 with lower incomes, could pay thousands more each year in premiums and co-pays under the plan.

"These changes could make coverage completely unaffordable for people with pre-existing conditions," Gurman said.

Proponents say it would lower premiums for many healthy people.

The latest plan has "much lower premiums & deductibles while at the same time taking care of pre-existing conditions!" President Trump tweeted Sunday.

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