Paul Ryan (CBS News)
The newest version of the Republican health care bill would exempt lawmakers and their families from some of its most unpopular -- and life-threatening -- provisions.
The bill would allow states to repeal some provisions of the Affordable Care Act, such as protections covering people with pre-existing medical conditions and requiring insurance companies to pay for prescription drugs and mental health treatment.
But a GOP amendment would maintain those protections for members of Congress and their own families, reported Health Affairs Blog.
The amendment proposed by Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) has helped gain the support of conservative lawmakers who believe that high-risk groups should pay more for coverage to drive down the cost of insurance premiums for others.
But moderate Republicans remain opposed to the current plan, and a Washington Post/ABC News found 70 percent of Americans want protections for pre-existing conditions to apply to all states.
"The best evidence yet that the new GOP repeal plan is a disaster for people’s health care is that the GOP exempted Members of Congress from living under it,” said Leslie Dach, director of the Protect Our Care Campaign.
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