GOP health bill spurs fears for people with pre-existing conditions

King says while it's true that the bill enables states to request a waiver that could potentially allow them to opt out of guaranteeing coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, he says it's not an issue in NY because Gov. Andrew Cuomo would never do such a thing. Mick Mulvaney, Trump's budget director, said the House bill is unlikely to be the version that ultimately clears the Senate and ends up in front of the president.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, appearing Sunday on ABC's "This Week", called the replacement of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, a "rescue mission". It would dilute consumer-friendly insurance coverage requirements, like prohibiting higher premiums for customers with pre-existing medical conditions and watering down the subsidies that help consumers afford health insurance.

House Democrats have predicted the GOP-authored provisions will harm millions of Americans by depriving them of health insurance, and, not incidentally, do serious damage to Republicans' chances in 2018 midterm elections.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of ME, a moderate Republican whose vote will be critical in getting a bill to Trump's desk, voiced concerns about potential higher costs for older people and those with pre-existing conditions.

While the bill has a long way to go before becoming law, it already has many in Arizona's health care industry concerned.

The House approved the bill Thursday by a vote of 217-213.

"We'll take whatever good ideas we find there that meet our goals", he reportedly said.

The Paralyzed Veterans of America urged rejection of the American Health Care Act. Trump tweeted. "ObamaCare premiums and deductibles are way up - it was a lie and it is dead!"

"If the House bill doesn't pass the Byrd rule, than we can modify it in the Senate and try to work out the differences" in a compromise measure, he said.

But Price insisted Sunday, "There are no cuts to the Medicaid program", adding that resources were being apportioned "in a way that allows states greater flexibility". "I think that the Republican Party will be rewarded", said Reince Priebus, Trump's chief of staff. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California has threatened that GOP lawmakers will "glow in the dark" over their vote.

"This provision potentially denies seven million veterans access to health care, because though technically eligible, they are not now enrolled in VA health care", he said in a statement. "No one who has a pre-existing condition will be denied coverage".

A political group with ties to House Republican leadership, American Action Network, said Sunday it was buying $500,000 in television time to promote the Republican health care bill. "The Senate will complete the job".

Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the ranking Democrat on the committee, said the proposed bill could deny tax credits to any individual who is "eligible" for other health care programs, such as VA health care or Tricare.

"The American Health Care Act protects veterans' health care - any claims to the contrary are false", he said.