Top Louisiana health official warns GOP healthcare bill's author that it'll screw his state

pulse

September 19, 2017 4:56 PM

Dr. Rebekah Gee, the health secretary of Louisiana, harshly criticized the newest Obamacare repeal bill from the senaotr from her own state, Bill Cassidy.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, one of the authors of the new Republican Obamacare repeal bill, received intense blowback Monday from a top health official in his own state.

Dr. Rebekah Gee, the secretary of health in Louisiana, sent a letter to Cassidy on Monday expressing concern with the bill and saying that the proposal would eviscerate the state's healthcare system.

"In its current form, the harm to Louisiana from this legislation far outweighs any benefits; therefore I must register our deep concerns and hope we can find a better path forward towards fixing the broken parts of our healthcare system," Gee wrote.

The bill, called the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson (GCHJ) plan, would shift federal funding for healthcare to a block-grant system in which states would receive money up front based on the number of enrollees. The current system provides a percentage of the state's annual healthcare funding, which fluctuates based on how much they spend.

Gee said the proposed shift would be a serious negative for many Louisianians and would "jeopardize coverage for some of our most vulnerable citizens."

She also took issue with the bill's elimination of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion and the proposed ability for states to obtain waivers that would weaken protections for people with preexisting conditions.

Overall, the state of Louisiana would lose $3.2 billion in federal healthcare funding through 2026 under the legislation, according to a study from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Gee said that would threaten the health of the "most vulnerable Medicaid populations."

The letter praised Cassidy's commitment to improving healthcare, but Gee said that his plan fails to make the system better.

"I appreciate your determination to see reform happen." Gee wrote. "Nevertheless, the legislation you've introduced this past week gravely threatens healthcare access and coverage for our state and its people."

Cassidy's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

Read the full letter:

My letter to @BillCassidy e... @ Rebekah Gee

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