What Does the Healthcare Plan Look Like?

As Republicans attempt to change the healthcare laws in America, dozens of modifications to proposed bills are being made at a rapid rate. While no one knows exactly what the final law will be–assuming that Republicans can get their bill through both the House and the Senate–here’s a look at what the new healthcare plan could look like:

Big Changes to Medicaid

Republican approaches to replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the House and Senate vary dramatically, but they do have one thing in common: both intend to significantly cut funds to Medicaid.

As of right now, Medicaid is extremely important for the approximately 74 million Americans who use it, providing healthcare insurance for disabled persons, elderly persons, single parents, pregnant women, and more. Medicaid is funded by both state and federal governments, and Republicans are hoping to change that, shifting the burden from the federal level to the states. The result would likely affect about 14 million Americans over the next decade.

Your Healthcare Costs May Increase

Depending upon your age and how much money you make, you could be at risk of losing your healthcare if proposed changes become law, or at risk of having to pay for healthcare at a much more expensive rate than you are currently paying. To be sure, some estimates state that about 23 million Americans would lose coverage under the new healthcare plan. For others, healthcare may just become extremely expensive. For example, consider a situation in which you are a 45-year-old assistant manager at a retail store, and you get health insurance through your job (a great example provided by The New York Times). Under the new law, you may lose health insurance if your employer stops offering you coverage, which it would not longer be required to do. You could buy health insurance out of pocket–and would receive a tax credit to do so–but the premium would be much more than you currently pay.

Learn More About What May Happen

Understanding what may happen regarding healthcare in the United States is important for planning for your future. At the law offices of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, we believe that everyone deserves high quality healthcare, no matter their income level, and will continue advocating for those who do not receive the treatment they deserve.

Napoli Shkolnik PLLC encourages everyone to stay informed of the proposed changes as they could affect so many.