Iowa Republicans push health care bill that cuts coverage, not costs

Iowa Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks touted a health care proposal that would lower costs by providing less coverage and worse care.

Miller-Meeks introduced the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act last December to address the expiration of enhanced tax credits that had reduced the cost of Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) plans. Some Iowans have seen their monthly premiums jump by $1,000 since the credits expired on Jan. 1.

In a press release, Miller-Meeks said her bill “does exactly what its title promises” by lowering premium costs and giving “Americans more options and flexibility to choose coverage that is best for their needs.”

Nunn echoed these claims in a Jan. 10 interview, asserting that the bill would lead to a “double-digit” reduction in premium costs.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) backed up this claim, finding that the bill would reduce the cost of some Obamacare plans by 11% through 2035.

Many individuals who qualified for the now-expired credits, however, would still not receive the same level of savings. The CBO says an average of 100,000 Americans under Miller-Meeks’ plan would likely drop insurance altogether rather than paying the higher rates.

The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States, opposed the bill, arguing in a letter that it could weaken insurance plans offered by employers.

Obamacare currently requires most employer health plans to cover a set of essential services, including hospitalization, prescription drugs, and maternity care. Miller-Meeks’ bill would allow more employers to sidestep that requirement, giving workers less coverage and exposing them to greater financial risk in a medical emergency.

Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act passed the House of Representatives in December. All but one Republican supported the measure. It received no Democratic votes and is unlikely to reach the 60-vote threshold required in the Senate.

This month, House Democrats introduced a bill that would revive the Obamacare credits for three more years. Sixteen Republicans, including Nunn, joined Democrats to pass the bill, while Miller-Meeks opposed it. The Senate is now debating the proposal.

Both Nunn and Miller-Meeks have been identified as two of the most vulnerable House Republicans facing reelection this year.