Healio reports that the new Senate healthcare bill retains much of the provisions of the House version, but slows some of the cuts for Medicaid expansion and more.

The Medicaid expansion funds, provided by the Affordable Care Act, will continue until 2021 and then be phased out over 3 years under the Senate bill. This, along with the 2 years continued subsidies for low-income individuals in exchange plans, would provide market stability for insurance carriers that have been uncertain about the administration’s plans, according to Blackwood, as the Trump administration had recently stated that it would not commit to continue paying cost-sharing reductions beyond June 2017.

Additional changes include retaining the work requirements for able-bodied adults who are receiving benefits under the current Medicaid expansion, retaining the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies to prevent the allocation of funds for abortions, and providing $2 billion in funds to mental health and drug treatment programs for a year.

David O. Barbe, MD, president of the American Medical Association, told Healio.com: “The AMA is reviewing the Senate health system reform legislation, guided by our key objectives that people who are currently insured should not lose their coverage and that Medicaid, CHIP and other safety net programs should be adequately funded. The AMA strongly opposes Medicaid spending caps, and we have grave concern with a formula that will not cover needed care for vulnerable patients.”

Read the rest at www.healio.com