Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is trying to build support for his plan to replace the federal Affordable Care Act. Medical professionals at TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital met with Senator Paul on Monday to hear about his proposals.
The Bowling Green Republican is proposing a tax credit of up to 5-thousand-dollars per person to use as part of a Health Savings Account. Paul said he wants a replacement plan passed the same day Obamacare is repealed.
“We do need to be thoughtful and think about how are we going to make a better system than what we have.” Paul said.
The town hall style meeting was by invitation only and not open to the public. Beth Bryant is a cardiologist at Greenview. She said a better plan to support all Kentuckians is needed.
“Because currently Obamacare is failing in Kentucky, we’re going broke, and our patients aren’t being covered.” Bryant said.
A Gallup poll shows Kentucky saw the second-highest drop in the number of uninsured residents after the A-C-A was implemented. And a University of Louisville study found the number of low-income Kentuckians without coverage dropped 68 percent in the first year of Kentucky’s expanded Medicaid coverage. Senator Paul’s plan would eliminate some of Obamacare’s protections of those with pre-existing conditions. Paul is proposing a two-year window when those with pre-existing conditions could get insurance. After that, they’d only be protected if they continuously maintained coverage.
