Think the Destruction of Health Care by Republicans Does Not Affect Your Employer Plan – Think Again

Employees in Group Sponsored Employer Plans Could Lose Coverage Areas, Have Huge Out of Pocket Expenses

The health care plan that just struggled past the House impacts individual plans and Medicaid, not employer group plans.  Or maybe not.  It seems under the terms of the Republican raid on health care employer plans can cut benefits and raise costs.

Under the House bill, large employers could choose the benefit requirements from any state—including those that are allowed to lower their benchmarks under a waiver, health analysts said. By choosing a waiver state, employers looking to lower their costs could impose lifetime limits and eliminate the out-of-pocket cost cap from their plans under the GOP legislation.

A company wouldn’t have to do business in a state to choose that state’s benefits level, analysts said. The company could just choose a state to match no matter where it is based.

The measure would give employers added flexibility to take steps that could lower costs by limiting more expensive coverage areas. And it would lessen the federal regulation of insurers, a goal of GOP lawmakers who believe the ACA is an example of government overreach.

That’s right.  Your employer can eliminate things like lab tests, maternity, mental health care etc.  Your employer can impose limits on their coverage and so guess what, you bill is too high you get stuck.

Thank a Republican when you see one, that is, if you can find one not hiding out from the angry voters.