Pre-existing conditions complicate health care replacement
CHICAGO — As Republicans try to unite around a replacement for the Affordable Care Act, one of the most popular parts of the law will be among the most difficult to replace: the guarantee of health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
The challenge of providing insurance for Americans who have no other alternative has some congressional Republicans considering whether to ask the states to reboot high-risk pools, an option with a rocky history. In the past, the pools served as insurers of last resort for people in poor health who could not get an individual policy from a commercial insurer.
“It’s definitely a hand-off to the states,” said economist Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who has reviewed the GOP plans and a recent briefing document for members of Congress. “It’s a commitment for money. It doesn’t say how much.”
The health care law requires insurance companies to cover people with serious medical problems at the same premium prices as everyone else. President Donald Trump has said he wants to “keep pre-existing conditions,” but he has not said how.