Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is leaning against supporting the Republicans’ latest Obamacare overhaul bill due in part to it stripping protections for people with pre-existing conditions, according to a published report.
If she does come out in opposition, which has been widely expected, then she would be the second Republican to publicly oppose the measure, joining Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Republicans would not be able to lose any more members as they need 50 votes to advance the measure, with Vice President Pence casting the deciding vote.
Collins told the Portland, Maine, Press Herald Friday that she is leaning “no” on the overhaul bill that eliminates the Medicaid expansion and turns Obamacare funding into block grants for states.
Collins has previously opposed every other Obamacare repeal effort that the GOP has brought up this year, and was widely expected to oppose this one as well. However, she has not publicly declared a position yet on the overhaul bill deemed by Republicans as their last shot at repealing Obamacare.
Republicans have until Sept. 30 to pass the bill or else they lose the ability to pass it with only 51 votes.
Collins said a major problem for her is that the bill lets states waive pre-existing condition protections in Obamacare plans.
She told the Herald that insurers could charge high rates to people with pre-existing conditions.
“The premiums would be so high they would be unaffordable,” she said.
The bill’s lead sponsors — Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. — said the bill includes protections for people with pre-existing conditions. To get a waiver to let insurers charge sick people more money, states need to prove to the federal government that they will provide adequate and affordable coverage.
However, the bill has no set definition on what is adequate and affordable. Cassidy has told the Washington Examiner this could include high-risk pools where states subsidize the cost of sick people on the individual market, but it remains unclear if there is enough funding to maintain a high-risk pool.
A new analysis from the consulting firm Avalere Health found that federal funding to states for Medicaid and other healthcare items would be lower by $714 billion through 2026.
In addition, there isn’t a requirement for states to adopt a high-risk pool. The discretion on what is adequate and affordable is up to the secretary of Health and Human Services.
