KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM/FM) — Protesters and Democrats are vowing to make Republican lawmakers pay at the polls after all nine of Michigan’s Republican members of the House voted to push the bill they are calling “Trumpcare” over the top.
Despite significant changes to draw in conservative members of the Republican caucus, it was still a narrow 217-213 victory. All five of the state’s Democrats voted to defeat the replacement measure.
Despite a light rain, about 100 turned out for a demonstration outside Congressman Fred Upton’s office in Kalamazoo on Thursday.
Upton’s late switch from an opponent to a supporter may have made the difference. He claims he is satisfied that the negative effects that affect citizens with pre-existing conditions have been mitigated by an amendment that will pump $8 billion into insurance pools in states that opt out of that requirement. That claim is being disputed by a number of major health care organizations.
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland, said he felt comfortable about changes to the way the bill addressed pre-existing conditions even before the Upton Amendment, and feels even better about them now.
Other changes include the elimination of subsidies. Instead, the insured will get fixed tax credits. Penalties will be bigger for those who have lapses in their coverage and older Americans could have to pay as much as five times more for coverage than younger people. Medicaid expansion would also be frozen.
The debate is far from over in Washington. Attention now shifts to the U.S. Senate where the Republican majority is smaller and the bill is expected to be modified after the Congressional Budget Office calculates and releases the impact the legislation will have on the health care marketplace.
