Lawmakers cling to their ObamaCare benefits even as they propose repealing them for everyone else
The fine print of a new Republican health-care amendment apparently indicates that members of Congress want to keep Affordable Care Act provisions for themselves while repealing them for the rest of the country, Vox reports. Introduced Tuesday night, the amendment would allow states to waive the ObamaCare ban on charging people with pre-existing conditions higher premiums or the requirement to cover essential health benefits like maternity care, mental health services, or emergency room visits — except it would not apply to members of Congress or their staffs.
"A spokesperson for Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) who authored this amendment confirmed this was the case," Vox writes. "Members of Congress and their staff would get the guarantee of keeping these ObamaCare regulations."
In other words:
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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