Tag: Affordable Care Act

Is Trumpcare Dead? What It Means for West Virginia

“I did not come to Washington to hurt people.”

That is how Sen. Shelley Moore Capito announced, on Twitter, she would not support the GOP effort to repeal Obamacare without a replacement plan that addresses her concerns “and the needs of West Virginians.”

Capito was one of a handful of GOP Senators who dealt the Obamacare repeal a serious blow this week.

Is “Trumpcare” dead? And if so, what does that mean for heathcare in West Virginia, and for Capito’s political future. Listen to the Front Porch podcast to find out.

Also, we talk about West Virginia’s upper-middle class (the top 20 percent of household income – about $82,000 a year and up.) Are they hoarding the American Dream for themselves and their children?

Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch.

Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn; conservative lawyer, columnist and rabid “Sherlock” fan Laurie Lin; and liberal columnist and avid goat herder Rick Wilson, who works for the American Friends Service Committee.

An edited version of “The Front Porch” airs Fridays at 4:50 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s radio network, and the full version is available at wvpublic.org and as a podcast as well.

Share your opinions with us about these issues, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss in the future. Send a tweet to @radiofinn or @wvpublicnews, or e-mail Scott at sfinn @ wvpublic.org

The Front Porch is underwritten by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail. Find the latest news, traffic and weather on its CGM App. Download it in your app store, and check out its website: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/

Capito Wants More Medicaid, Opioid Treatment Funding in Republican Healthcare Bill

A day after announcing she could not support the Senate Republican-backed healthcare overhaul plan, West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Wednesday…

"I waited for changes; they never came." –Sen. Shelley Moore Capito

A day after announcing she could not support the Senate Republican-backed healthcare overhaul plan, West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said Wednesday she will offer her own changes to the bill which she thinks could make it more palatable in West Virginia.

In a press call with reporters, Capito said she knew more than a week ago she could not support the bill that is designed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but she did not formally release a statement about her stance until after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday he’s delaying a vote because of opposition in his caucus.

Capito said she wants the bill to include subsidies that help make health care more affordable for low-income Americans.

She wants an additional $45 billion included for opioid and substance abuse treatment programs, and she said the bill does not include enough funding for Medicaid, the national health care program that provides insurance for hundreds of thousands of low-income and disabled West Virginians.

“I don’t think it’s good for West Virginia. I’ve heard from West Virginians, I can see for myself what it does,” she said, “and I am absolutely opposed to the direction that that bill was going.”

State and national groups have targeted Capito during the past several weeks, attempting to influence her vote on the bill. Many of those efforts are continuing with a final vote now expected after Congress’s 4th of July break.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin has expressed opposition to the Republican healthcare plan since the House of Representatives approved its proposal in early May. 

Capito Says She'll Vote No on Current Republican Healthcare Bill

Both of West Virginia’s U.S. Senators have now announced their opposition to a federal healthcare bill that could result in the loss of healthcare…

Both of West Virginia’s U.S. Senators have now announced their opposition to a federal healthcare bill that could result in the loss of healthcare coverage for millions of Americans. 

Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito announced Tuesday afternoon in a press release she is a no vote on the bill. The statement came after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced earlier in the day he would delay a vote of the full Senate until after the 4th of July holiday.

The bill itself is meant to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act—former President Obama’s signature healthcare law.

The Congressional Budget Office released an analysis of the Senate’s version of the legislation earlier this week that said more than 22 million Americans would lose their health insurance should the bill pass in its current form.

In the statement, Capito said she has vowed to support a bill that lowers the cost of healthcare for West Virginians and increases access to substance abuse treatment, and this bill does not do that.

“As drafted, this bill will not ensure access to affordable health care in West Virginia, does not do enough to combat the opioid epidemic that is devastating my state, cuts traditional Medicaid too deeply, and harms rural health care providers,” Capito said.

“As drafted, the Senate health care bill is not the right fix for West Virginia,” she said, “and I cannot support it.”

Capito’s statement came in a joint release with Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman who also said he would vote no on the current plan.

By Tuesday, seven Republicans had indicated they would vote against the bill, and it would take only two Republican no votes to kill it in the chamber.

Democratic Sen. Jon Manchin came out against the Republican legislation before the Senate’s version was released and has continued to lobby against it. 

Manchin: Republican Healthcare Bill 'Devastating' for W.Va.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is calling on Republican members of the U.S. Senate to open up their meetings about the new health care law, which is expected…

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is calling on Republican members of the U.S. Senate to open up their meetings about the new health care law, which is expected to be put to a vote in Congress before their July break. 

The U.S. House of Representatives approved its version of a health care plan in early May. Its goal is to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act—former President Obama’s signature legislation.

Republican leadership in the Senate, however, has been making changes to the bill, but Manchin said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday that those meetings have been happening behind closed doors without any input from Democratic — and even some Republican — members of the chamber.

Manchin said the Senate bill will likely emerge from those meetings looking very similar to the one passed in the House, which he called devastating for West Virginia.

Manchin said 50,000 West Virginians who have access to substance abuse treatment programs thanks to the expansion of Medicaid through the ACA will lose their coverage.

“The state is going to have to come up with an exorbitant amount of money in order to provides services,” Manchin said.

West Virginia’s Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito has said she has concerns with the House version of the bill, but has not said whether she will support the Senate’s revised plan.

McKinley Explains Vote for American Health Care Act

Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., explained his vote for the American Health Care Act in an interview with West Virginia Public Broadcasting today.

Critics of the House bill say it reduces funding for Medicaid, and makes services like substance abuse treatment optional for states.

But McKinley said the bill contains additional funding to cover drug treatment.

“It’s disingenuous for anyone to suggest that we’re not going to have adequate money for Medicaid for people on drug overdose problems. We’re going to have that,” he said.

You can hear more of our interview with Congressman McKinley above, including info on his work to fight opioid addiction and promoting energy research, or listen to West Virginia Morning, Monday at 7:41 a.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Congressional Budget Office did not have time to score this version of the bill, but it said the previous version would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 24 million people.

McKinley is skeptical of that number, and pointed out the CBO says the average premium will cost less under the American Health Care Act.

“They’re already saying premiums are going to drop. That’s very important. But they also went on to say some people could lose their coverage, but that’s iffy, if that takes place,” he said.

“Our point here, primarily, is, get our premiums down. Our people cannot afford these premium increases.”

McKinley also points to billions the House bill directs toward high-risk insurance pools and other areas.

The House bill is now in the Senate, and McKinley says he’s open to whatever changes they may make.

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