Republicans Drafted a Health Care Plan in Secret. Now We Know What's In It.
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On Wednesday, Senate Republicans had a secret meeting to talk health care—and Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut tweeted from outside of the meeting's formidable door.
Experts say this closed-door meeting was unusual because they are usually bi-partisan, happening after the legislative process has stopped, and typically aimed at hammering out some sort of deal, according to FiveThirtyEight.
However, despite the unprecedented secrecy, we now know what was going on behind that door.
Senate Republicans drafted a secret Obamacare repeal bill and the contents of it have leaked to the media. Politico's Jennifer Haberkorn gave a preview of a draft of the bill, which will be released on Thursday.
Here are three things reportedly included (or not) in the secret draft of the Senate Obamacare repeal bill:
1. It would pull funding from Planned Parenthood.
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The bill would remove the health organization from the Medicaid program, causing a major loss of funding. Although federal funds cannot be used for abortions, President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and other conservatives have led a charge to pull all federal money from the women's health organization because it separately provides abortion services. In reality, abortions constitute only 3 percent of the services provided at the organization, which is an important health resource for the low-income women who use Medicaid.
2. It would slash Medicaid.
The draft bill would limit the amount of money available for Medicaid. The bill aims to give states a set amount of money per person, and it would cut Obama-era expansions to the program, likely forcing states to roll back coverage.
3. It will not waive requirements that insurers accept everyone and charge the same rates.
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After the House's American Health Care Act received backlash for scrapping protections for people who have pre-existing conditions, this draft is not expected to allow insurance companies to reject patients or charge different rates based on medical history. Before the Affodable Care Act went into effect, insurers could reject patients or charge more money for patients with a history of mental health issues, sexual assault, or even pregnancy.
