The Trump administration advised states today to disregard the Affordable Care Act rule that states that federal insurance subsidies can only apply to people purchasing insurance in marketplaces created through the ACA. These subsidies are the only form of government assistance for monthly insurance premiums. This new advice is called “waiver concepts” because they target […]
Anti-Abortion Extremist Guilty of Defrauding the ACA Marketplaces
Anti-abortion extremist leader Jeff White and his son pleaded guilty on October 12 to defrauding the Affordable Care Act marketplaces in at least 12 states of over $27 million.
Protesters Arrested In Civil Disobedience Action Against Kavanaugh
Seventy four people were arrested in Washington, DC last week for civil disobedience while protesting the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court. The activists were led out of the Hart Senate Office Building with their fists in the air as they sang, “Hear the voices of the sons and daughters, protect our freedom now!”
Notre Dame Students Sue Over Denial of Birth Control Coverage
Irish 4 Reproductive Health, a student group at the University of Notre Dame, together with several individuals insured by the university, sued the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Labor as well as Notre Dame itself for entering into an agreement to deny students, university employees, and their dependents insurance coverage of birth control, in violation of U.S. Constitution and federal law.
Republicans Race Again to Repeal Affordable Care Act and Cut Medicaid
The House and Senate intend to vote on a repeal and replace of the Affordable Care Act before the end of September, renewing the fight to defend Medicaid and affordable, comprehensive healthcare access for people across the country.
Senate Healthcare Bill Would Cut Nearly 1.5 Million Jobs
The majority of the job losses—919,000 jobs—would be in the healthcare industry, but there would be a ripple effect that could lead to a loss of half a million jobs in other sectors, including construction and real estate, finance, retail trade, and public employment.
Senate Republicans Crafting Healthcare Bill in Secret
Republican leaders continue to keep the bill writing process for the Senate’s version of the American Health Care Act, also known as Trumpcare, behind closed doors. It is unclear when the bill will be released to the public.
Draft Leaks of Trump Administration Massive Loophole for Birth Control Mandate
Under Trump’s advisement, federal officials have drafted a rule creating a massive loophole for employers to bypass the Affordable Care Act’s mandate requiring health insurance plans provided to employees to include contraception coverage. The draft, published by Vox, still requires said coverage, but greatly widens the scope exemption by allowing for anyone to issue claims of religious or moral objection in order to bypass the mandate.
House Passes Bill to Dismantle Healthcare
On Thursday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill that repeals the Affordable Care Act (ACA), ends Medicaid as we know it, defunds Planned Parenthood, and kicks 24 million people off of health insurance.
Latest Republican Plan to Repeal ACA is Even Worse for Women
Earlier this week, House Republicans released a new plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and this proposal is even worse for women’s health than before.
GOP Healthcare Bill Fails, But Could Be Reintroduced
Last week the Republicans in Congress abandoned their plan to vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) for fear that they would not have enough votes within their own party for it to pass.
Republicans Introduce the First ACA Repeal Bill
By Thursday it had been approved along party lines by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee.
House Expected to Vote on Major Abortion Restriction
Today the House is expected to vote on H.R. 7, known as the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, a bill that would attempt to block all women from accessing health insurance that covers abortion care. It is a sweeping piece of legislation that touches on a number of anti-abortion policies.
Tom Price has Senate Confirmation Hearing for Health and Human Services
Price is a controversial choice, as he is seen by many social justice advocates to be against the very programs that he has been nominated to lead—programs that tens of millions of people desperately need for health care.
Senate Passes Budget Resolution that Allows for Repeal of Affordable Care Act
At 1:30 in the morning on Thursday, the Senate voted 51-48 to pass a budget resolution that directs House and Senate committees to craft legislation that will fully repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
House GOP Promises Major Attack on Reproductive Healthcare
House Republicans announced this week that they intend to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and de-fund Planned Parenthood all in one budget “reconciliation” bill, a process that prevents Democrats from filibustering the measure and requires only a 51 vote in the Senate to pass, not the standard 60 vote threshold required for most controversial legislation.
Tom Price, Opponent of Abortion and Contraception Access, to lead Department of Health and Human Services
He has a 100 percent rating from the National Right to Life Committee and a zero rating from Planned Parenthood.
ACLU Sues Catholic Hospital for Putting Religion over Medical Care
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services against a Michigan Catholic hospital for refusing to perform a postpartum tubal ligation on a pregnant brain cancer patient, a violation of the nondiscrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Birth Control Case
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday—the 6th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—on whether religiously affiliated non-profits can use their religious beliefs to discriminate against women by blocking health insurance coverage for birth control.
House Fails to Override Veto of Measure to Defund Planned Parenthood and Repeal Affordable Care Act
The House of Representatives failed to gather enough votes yesterday to override President Obama’s veto of a measure that would have defunded Planned Parenthood for one year and repealed key provisions in the Affordable Care Act.