American Medical Association "strongly opposes" health care act

On May 4, the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA) (H.R. 1628) on a largely party-line vote of 217-213. If the AHCA were to become law, millions of Americans would lose health insurance coverage, and the safety net provided by Medicaid would be severely eroded. Last-minute changes to the bill allowing states to apply for waivers from critical consumer protections under current law and providing additional funding for high-risk pools and reinsurance mechanisms failed to remedy the fundamental flaws of the bill.


CHICAGO – American Medical Association (AMA) President Andrew W. Gurman, M.D., released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act:

“The bill passed by the House today will result in millions of Americans losing access to quality, affordable health insurance and those with pre-existing health conditions face the possibility of going back to the time when insurers could charge them premiums that made access to coverage out of the question. Action is needed, however, to improve the current health care insurance system. The AMA urges the Senate and the Administration to work with physician, patient, hospital and other provider groups to craft bipartisan solutions so all American families can access affordable and meaningful coverage, while preserving the safety net for vulnerable populations.”

[link to www.ama-assn.org (secure)]