House of Representatives Passes American Health Care Act

After months of political wrangling, House Republicans have finally passed their health care reform bill, the American Health Care Act, which will give states the right to waive essential health benefits. The bill passed by a tight 217-213 vote, with 216 being the exact number of votes needed to approve the bill.

“Today we take the next step to repeal and replace Obamacare,” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) said during debate on the House floor. “We can put this collapsing law behind us and end this failed experiment. Let’s make it easier for people to afford their health insurance, give people more choices and control over their care, make insurance companies come in and compete for your business, and return power from Washington to the States.”

The bill passed after a new amendment was added within the last few hours, including the Upton Amendment, introduced by Representative Fred Upton (R-Missouri), which added $8 billion in funding over 5 years to subsidize high costs for patients with pre-exiting conditions. The $8 billion introduced in this bill is in addition to the $130 billion in funding set aside to help patients with pre-existing conditions that was already in the bill. 

Democrats spent the morning on the House floor, unsuccessfully attempting to dissuade Republicans from voting for the AHCA. The majority of health care industry and patient advocacy groups shared this sentiment, including the AARP, AMA, and ACP.

“There is nothing moderate about the AHCA.  Rather, it is an extreme attack on access and coverage for millions of Americans, and especially, older, sicker, and poorer patients who are most in need of help,” Jack Ende, MD, president of the ACP said in a letter to Congress.

Now that the bill has passed out of the House, it will move on to the Senate, where it is likely to be changed drastically. The bill needs 51 votes to pass the Senate under budget reconciliation. Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate; however, moderate Republicans have expressed unwillingness to strip patients of guaranteed essential health benefits coverage and mandatory protections for patients with pre-existing conditions. —David Costill