Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, does not support a new Republican bill to enshrine pre-existing condition protections because it doesn’t include other key Obamacare consumer protections.
Collins’ concerns could imperil passage of the bill led by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., as Democrats have called the bill a scam and political cover for Republicans.
Collins said Monday that the bill was a good first step but doesn’t do enough to protect consumers.
“I do support the objective of it, but the problem is it doesn’t deal with essential benefits like maternity care and treatment of substance abuse and some of the other consumer protections of the [Affordable Care Act] that I think are important,” she said.
Collins was referring to Obamacare’s requirement for plans to cover certain health benefits defined as essential, such as hospitalization, maternity care, and substance abuse treatment.
Tillis and nine other Republican senators introduced the bill on Friday to amend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to guarantee availability of coverage in the individual or employer-sponsored group market for all Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions.
The bill was released after months of Democrats hammering Republicans for trying to take away the protections. Democrats argue that Republicans are endangering sick people, referencing congressional Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare and the Justice Department’s support of a lawsuit filed by Texas and 19 other states that would strike down the entire law.
Collins’ concerns complicates any path to approval out of the Senate, where Republicans have held a 51-49 majority. Several top Democrats have slammed the bill as a “gimmick,” making bipartisan support unlikely.
Collins has consistently voted against Obamacare repeal bills and joined Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and all Senate Democrats to defeat Obamacare repeal last July. Murkowski co-sponsored the Tillis legislation.
[Also read: Brett Kavanaugh offers praise of ‘trailblazing’ women as Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski decide fate]
Tillis shot back Monday at critics who say the bill doesn’t do enough to ensure the survival of pre-existing condition protections.
“I think there is an agenda on the other side to try to eliminate any real progress on preserving pre-existing conditions,” he said.
But one expert said the bill itself does not prevent insurers from excluding coverage for treatments.
“Before the ACA, I saw examples of body parts or systems being excluded from coverage for people with pre-existing conditions,” tweeted Larry Levitt, senior vice president for Kaiser Family Foundation on Friday after the bill was announced. “For example, an insurer might offer someone with asthma coverage, but exclude any services associated with the respiratory system.”
Levitt said that Tillis’ bill would still allow insurers to make these exclusions, hampering care for people with pre-existing conditions.
Tillis said that is not the intent of the bill. “If we can look at the details to make it clear that is not the intent we will do it,” he said.
