On Thursday, House Republicans took the first step in repealing and replacing the disastrous healthcare law known as Obamacare. After weeks of back and forth, President Donald J. Trump was able to bring together enough moderate and conservative Republicans to pass the repeal in the House.
Under this bill, Obamacare’s subsidies would be eliminated and instead Congress will provide refundable tax credits based on age and income. In addition, the House bill repeals the individual and employer mandates which were at the heart of Obamacare. In addition, the bill will allow states to obtain waivers to create health policies tailored to their individual needs, rather than from Washington, D.C.
It is likely that this bill would not have passed the House had it not been for Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) whose impassioned plea, which became the MacArthur Amendment, help bring both sides of the Republican caucus together. The amendment came out of a personal experience for MacArthur and his family, and would help secure coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions and improve coverage for those unable to afford insurance.
IJ Review explains how MacArthur’s personal experiences with his now-deceased daughter Grace, inspired him to push for this amendment:
MacArthur and his wife were left devastated when doctors urged them to terminate their first pregnancy after it was discovered that the baby’s brain was not developing properly. Despite the urging to end the pregnancy, MacArthur’s wife, Debbie, gave birth to their daughter, Gracie.
Gracie was born with a rare condition called Holoprosencephaly and, during her 11 years of life, failed to reach many milestones, such as walking and talking. Her medical bills were exorbitant. Gracie also suffered from seizures, which ultimately led to her death. During his daughter’s funeral, MacArthur said of the young girl who “totally changed my life,” that “when you were hugged by Gracie, you knew you have been hugged.”
While MacArthur is filled with loving memories of his late daughter, what he is also reminded of the enormous amount of money it cost his family to care for Gracie.
Just moments after the bill passed, MacArthur appeared on CNN and became emotional when talking about how his daughter was an inspiration for him to be involved in healthcare reform.
Here is the powerful video below:
Congressman MacArthur also took to Facebook to explain his fight to insure that the “most vulnerable among us” are able to receive the life-saving coverage they need:
States will be allowed to receive waivers for non-essential medical services, but pre-existing conditions will remain a requirement, except if a state waiver is obtained, something that both moderate and more conservative members of the House agreed should be included in the legislation. The American people agree, as a majority support requiring pre-existing conditions be covered in insurance plans.
The Daily Caller explains how state waivers for pre-existing conditions will work:
New Jersey Republican and Tuesday Group co-chair Tom MacArthur proposed an amendment allowing states to waive Obamacare’s Title I regulations, which means insurers could raise premiums for certain people with pre-existing conditions. In order to get other moderates on board, Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton introduced an amendment setting up an $8 billion fund “to ensure a strong safety net and reduce premiums, or other out-of-pocket costs, for those with pre-existing conditions.”
States must ask for, and receive, a waiver to allow insurers to raise premiums for those with pre-existing conditions. Then, and only then, would those with pre-existing conditions receive help from the $8 billion fund.
MacArthur’s powerful plea shows that healthcare is personal to millions of Americans and while there is debate about certain aspects of the Obamacare repeal effort, covering pre-existing conditions is not one of them. The waivers for pre-existing conditions will not only be tailored to meet the needs of each state, but also ensure that those with pre-existing conditions are protected.
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