How people with employer health plans will be hurt by ACA overhaul

[pnwmom]

Too many people don't worry about repeal because they think it won't affect them personally.

They are wrong.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/01/19/510479949/how-large-employer-health-plans-could-be-affected-by-obamacare-overhaul

If you think that you won't be touched by a Republican overhaul of Obamacare because you get health insurance through your job at a big company, think again.

Several of the law's provisions apply to plans offered by large employers, too (with some exceptions for plans that were in place before the law passed in March 2010).

It's not yet clear how President-elect Donald Trump and the congressional Republicans plan to revamp the federal health law. They have not agreed on a plan, and they do not have enough votes in the Senate to fully repeal the current statute. So they are planning to use a budgeting rule to disassemble part of the law, which will limit what they can change. But they also may seek revisions in important regulations and guidance that have determined how the law is implemented.

Nonetheless, as the tensions grow in Washington over the future of the health law, it is important to understand some of its effects on large-group plans.

SNIP

[deminks]

1. Provisions that may go away for all of us:

No copays for preventive services

No annual or lifetime limits on coverage

Annual cap on out-of-pocket payments for covered services

Adult kids' coverage expanded

Guaranteed external appeal rights

No waiting periods to join a plan

No waiting periods for coverage of pre-existing conditions

Standardized plan descriptions

Basic coverage standards for large-group plans

all from the article in the OP.

Plus, most employee plans in the last couple of years will no longer cover spouses.

So, look at this list and tell me who is pulling the strings, who is writing the policies. Congress represents biznuz, not the people.

[global1]

2. The Repugs Are Playing With Fire If They Start Tampering With Employee Health Plans...

As the OP says "Too many people don't worry about repeal of ACA because they think it won't affect them personally. They are wrong."

If employee plans become part of this whole repeal & replace thing - if not well thought out - the Repugs could incite these people that feel that they are not affected.

If these people realize that they either might be abandoned by their employee plans or left to buy their own insurance - the Repugs could unleash a backlash that they didn't anticipate.

This backlash could lead to a conclusion by the American People - that Obamacare/ACA wasn't as bad as they were told by the Repugs and that could lead to a push for a universal coverage.

If the Repugs screw this up royally - we might realize Bernie's plan here.

As Dems - we need to be ready to pounce on the Repugs as they screw this up.