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Remember when Republicans—from popular vote loser Donald Trump on down—were promising that all the protections for people with pre-existing conditions created under the Affordable Care Act would be preserved? So much for that.
As recently as two weeks ago, aides said members were surprised and angry to learn that Sen. Ted Cruz's Consumer Freedom Option would allow plans that didn't include the Affordable Care Act's pre-existing conditions protections. (They could only be sold by insurers that also offered plans with the protections.)
Sen. Bob Corker: "I think people understand that's got to be protected, and people understand what happened when the House dealt with it and opened it up, and it's just not something that senators are wishing to do."
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito over recess: "I think that reopens an issue that I can't support, that it would make it too difficult for people with pre-existing conditions to get coverage."
Sen. Chuck Grassley last week: "There's a real feeling that that's subterfuge to get around pre-existing conditions."
Now, that resistance is "melting away," as one Senate Republican aide put it today. "No one wants to be bad guy."
Before the Cruz amendment, Republicans had at least a fig leaf of a claim they were keeping those protections. They were nominally preserved in the bill, even though those protections could be essentially waived by states. People with pre-existing conditions would have access to insurance at the same rates as healthy people, but insurance companies wouldn't have to guarantee that the benefits they need would be covered. Now they're just jettisoning the whole idea that the protections need to remain.
Time to jam the phone lines--Republicans still want to pass Trumpcare! Even if you called before, call your senator at (202) 224-3121. Tell them Trumpcare is SICK, MEAN and CRUEL. Then, tell us how it went.
Please give $1 to each of our Senate funds so that Republican senators—especially Dean Heller—know there'll be a price to pay for repealing health care.
Remember, even the insurance companies are opposed to this idea. But right now, there are only two solid "no" votes on this bill, Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Rand Paul (R-KY), and only one of them is opposed because of the bad stuff it would do to people. Corker, Capito, Grassley—all of them have remained mum on this issue. Dean Heller of Nevada, the guy who out-and-out rejected the bill a few weeks ago? Leadership is confident that he'll be "bought off" with some of the extra money McConnell still has to play with.
They need to keep hearing from us. They finished work for the week yesterday, most of them are heading home, even if not planning public meetings. Head to their local offices, jam their phone lines. Get in their faces.