Suitorman, Senior Editor at reason magazine. Kasie, let me start with you. Weve already seen far right groups like Heritage Action criticize the plan, Club For Growth as well, freedom works, rand paul calling it obamacare light. You tweeted this a few hours ago. Here it is, it is still early so caveats apply but events of today suggest Gop Health Care bill is already on life support, if not Dead On Arrival. How can that be so early, kasie . Reporter well look, craig, this bill has run into extraordinary opposition just in the first handful of hours that it has been out in the public, and youre saying you tick through some of the groups that have come out and opposed this, the Heritage Action went so far as to say this doesnt repeal obamacare. That of course kind of the cardinal sin for a party that has spent the last however many years campaigning specifically on repealing obamacare. So the people who are
to younger people and less generous to older people. There would be a cap so that
remember that many, many people have increasing premiums, increasing deductibles. they re in an area in this country where there are it s either one insurer offering coverage or in some places some. those are individuals who can t get any care at all. they may have an insurance card, but they can t get care. this is a system that s not working for patients and that s what we re trying to fix. i didn t mean to interrupt you, but let me stipulate, there are areas we know that in iowa, now in virginia that there are insurance market issues. that could be fixed, but let s stipulate that that still needs to be fixed. but what about this issue of pre-existing conditions? you have 22 major health care groups. we re going to scroll the names, let our viewers see, 22 groups including the ama, the doctors, the american lung association, the american osteopathic association, the academy of pediatrics, the children s hospital association, the aarp, nurses, even insurers, all of them are agai
you in the pre-existing illness or discussion that we are having. if you do have a pre-existing condition, in the exchange market, many, many people have increasing premiums and deductibles, in an area where it is one insurer offering coverage or some places, none. those can t get any care at all. they may have an experience card, they can t get care. this is a system that not working for patients that is what we are trying to fix. let me stipulate, we know in iowa, now in virginia there, are insurance market issues, that could be fixed, stipulate that that still needs to be fixed. what about the issue of pre-existing conditions, 22 major health care groups, let our viewers, 22 groups, ama, doctors, the american lung association, the academy of
employer, none of this affects you in the preexisting illness or condition discussion that we re having. if you have a pre-existing condition and you re in the exchange market right now, remember that many, many people have increasing premiums, increasing deductibles. they re in an area in this country where there are it s either one insurer offering coverage or in some places none. those are individuals who can t get any care at all. they may have an insurance card, but they can t get care. this is a system that s not working for patients and that s what we re trying to fix. i didn t mean to interrupt you, but let me stipulate, there are areas we know that in iowa, now in virginia that there are insurance market issues. that could be fixed, but let s stipulate that that still needs to be fixed. but what about this issue of pre-existing conditions? you have 22 major health care groups. we re going to scroll the names, let our viewers see, 22 groups including the ama, the doctors,
we understand the whole package? the fact of the matter is, we are working on the regulations right now. we had a proposed rule out there to narrow the windows of the insurers are able to stay in markets they are having to pull out. one-third of the counties in the country, over 1,000 counties, only have one insurer offering coverage on the exchangers. five states only have one insurer offering coverage on the exchanges. the fact is, those folks have no choice whatsoever. federal government has destine them to only have one opportunity to purchase coverage. if that s not what they want, then tough lock. that s not our plan. allowing individuals the opportunity to purchase coverage they want for themselves and their family in a market that offers them an array of choices. are you encouraging lawmakers to disregard this report?