Underwriter: GOP Health Care Bill Not Up To Promises

March 08--The proposal by U.S. House Republicans to replace the Affordable Care Act, which they continually said they would replace and repeal, is more of a replace and delay tactic, a Wichita Falls health insurance underwriter said Wednesday.

Tom Wilson, a health benefits specialist at Boley-Featherston Insurance, said the legislation undergoing mark-up in the House Ways and Means and Energy committees does little to create a vastly different option that what President Barack Obama's signature legislation provided. It does, however, cause more head scratching and concerns about people rushing out of the market since the penalty for not buying insurance would be removed.

The legislation is a long way from becoming law. It still has to be worked through committees before a vote by the full House. It then goes to the Senate for consideration, where there is likely to be opposition from Democrats and some Republicans.

"What they said they were going to do and what I'm seeing is not the same thing," Wilson said of the proposed legislation.

The legislation does remove the individual and employer mandate by way of eliminating penalties individuals and companies would incur if they did no purchase a plan. But, the bill allows financial subsidies to continue until 2020, which will then be replaced with tax credits applied when filing income tax returns.

Wilson said the bill, in its present form, is a lighter version of the ACA -- better known as Obamacare -- than a full repeal and replace measure. He said it's a start to overturning the existing health-care law, but it's highly unlikely that the bill proposed in the House will pass.

"What's it doing to improve anything?" he said. "If you're keeping the subsidies for three more years, is Blue Cross Blue Shield (of Texas) going to reduce their rates next year? I don't think so. So, what's it doing to bring the costs down? What are they showing me or you or anybody else in this bill that's going to bring the cost of the premiums down?"

Wilson said removing the individual mandate would result in healthy people -- typically young adults -- leaving the insurance marketplace because they didn't want insurance to begin with. Elderly people with multiple ailments are those that would be left in the market, which doesn't result in lower costs.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, applauded the legislation brought forth by his counterparts in the House, adding it's time to take health care decisions out of Washington, D.C., and give that authority back to states, patients, families and doctors. Without giving a full endorsement of the House bill, the senator did list topics such as health savings accounts, plan choices and affordable coverage as points of focus.

"Now we have an opportunity to do better for the people we represent, who are counting on us to deliver, to repeal Obamacare and replace it with options that work, and I believe the plan released (Monday) night is a major step in the right direction," the senator said Tuesday during comments on the floor of the Senate.

He continued, "So, I'm glad our colleagues in the House and our friends in the White House fully understand why this is such a priority and why we need to keep the promise that we made. As soon as we can do that and deliver on that major promise to the American people, the sooner we do that, a whole lot of American families across the country will feel relief."

U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Clarendon, also said the legislation is "the first step" to undoing the "failing" policies of Obamacare.

"I am sure that the plan will be improved during the legislative process, but it is important to get started and get this job done."

Wilson said he expects changes to continue to roll out as House committees work through the specific language. He said he doesn't see howthe legislation as it exists will make it through given the party divisions as well as those in the Freedom Caucus who have pushed for a complete Obamacare repeal.

Follow John Ingle on Twitter at @inglejohn1973.

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