Trump splits from the GOP and says Trumpcare 2.0 will guarantee pre-existing protections nationwide

pulse

April 30, 2017 8:31 PM

Trump said there is a clause in the GOP's new healthcare proposal that guarantees pre-existing coverage to all Americans.

U.S. President Donald Trump attends the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's "Days of Remembrance" ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, U.S, April 25, 2017.

President Trump appeared to suggest on Sunday that the GOP's new iteration of its healthcare bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act would cover pre-existing conditions for all Americans.

Trump, seeming to break from House Republicans' latest proposal that covering pre-existing conditions would be left up to the states, told CBS' John Dikerson on "Face the Nation" that congressional leaders were making changes to the newest bill to provide for nationwide pre-existing conditions coverage.

Trump's first replacement bill included that provision, but it was pulled from the floor of the House before it could come to a vote after it became clear the bill did not have enough support to pass, largely because the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus said it did not go far enough to repeal Obamacare in its entirety.

In order to bring members of the Freedom Caucus on board, leader of the Tuesday Group, NJ Rep. Tom MacArthur, introduced an amendment on Tuesday that would allow states to opt out of the two largest Obamacare provisions.

In addition to allowing states to waive coverage for essential health benefits — like maternity care and emergency-room visits — the amendment also allows states to waive parts of the community rating. Community-rating rules under the Affordable Care Act prohibit insurance companies from charging higher premiums to those with pre-existing conditions.

Under MacArthur's proposal, states would have the option of waiving that requirement, meaning insurance companies could ostensibly charge higher premiums to sicker people. States would be eligible to apply for a waiver if they

Dickerson continued to press Trump, asking, "

pulse