On Oct. 10, 2018, the Senate on narrowly defeated a measure, introduced by Democrats, to overturn President Trump’s expansion of non-Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance plans, including short-term health insurance plans and association health plans. The legislation narrowly failed by a 50-50 vote in the Senate on party lines with the exception of Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who voted with the Democrats.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration expanded access to short-term health insurance plans, which do not follow ACA-mandated rules like coverage for pre-existing conditions, mental health or prescription drugs. The rule that Democrats were seeking to overturn lifted a three-month restriction on short-term plans, allowing them to last up to a year. Democrats forced the vote on the floor before the midterm elections as they continue using healthcare as a main focus in their campaigns.
“In a few short weeks, the American people will head to the polls where they can vote for another two years of Republican attempts to gut our health-care system, or they can vote for Democratic candidates who will safeguard the protections now in place and work to make health care more affordable,” Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) said on the Senate floor Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), the chairman of the Senate Health Committee, forcefully pushed back, saying short-term plans provide a cheaper option than the ACA and if people want full ACA plans with all the protections, they can still have them.
Although this failed measure only dealt with the lifted restrictions on short-term health insurance plans, Democrats have vowed to continue their push back on the administration’s overhaul of the ACA after the midterm elections.
This article was provided to OSAE by the Power of A and ASAE's Inroads.