skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

AHCA Opponents: Older Kentuckians Should Brace for "Age Tax"

play audio
Play

Monday, May 15, 2017   

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Analysts predict health insurance premiums could go up by as much as $8000 a year for people age 50 and older under the American Health Care Act in its current form.

In addition to removing protections for people with pre-existing conditions, the bill would allow insurers to charge as much as five times the premium to older policyholders compared to their younger counterparts. The plan is raising concerns for people like Cecilia Munoz, who served as director of domestic policy in the Obama administration.

"The AARP is calling what the House passed an 'age tax.' If Congress is going to be tinkering with health care coverage, they should be focusing on ways to make sure that costs go down, rather than up,” Munoz said. "The results of what the House passed are really very clear: people lose coverage, fewer people will have coverage; the people who have coverage will be paying more for their premiums."

The Congressional Budget Office has not yet released its review of the current bill, but under the previous GOP health plan, it estimated that 24 million Americans would lose coverage. The bill will go before the U.S. Senate in the coming days, where it is expected to undergo major changes.

As someone who worked closely in the development of the Affordable Care Act, Munoz said it's important to remember how long it took to get some form of universal coverage for Americans.

"It took us 100 years to get to the health care reform law that passed in the Obama administration,” she said. "Once you land on sort of the first iteration of health care, it's not going to be perfect. But we should be talking about making it better, not getting into a situation where millions of people lose their coverage."

Munoz said that for her, making the plan better will mean looking at ways to lower medical costs and prescription drug expenses.

AARP has estimated that premiums would increase for people starting at about age 46, and 40 percent of older adults ages 50-64 have a pre-existing condition that could mean being denied coverage outright.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …


So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

AI queries require about 10 times the electricity of traditional internet searches and the generation of original music, photos and videos requires much more, according to the Electric Power Research Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

Environment

play sound

Rising demands for clean energy efficiency are producing a wealth of work opportunities in Illinois. These in-demand jobs are also promoting a …

Social Issues

play sound

Like polling from other battleground states, the race for the White House remains close in Wisconsin. But fresh numbers out this week show some …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021