What a difference a day makes, particularly in the political swamp world of Washington, D.C. Earlier this week, it appeared the American Health Care Act (AHCA) was dead and would not even come up for a vote this week. Fast forward one day and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy announces there will be a vote on AHCA. Many moderates, including Reps. Fred Upton and Billy Long were against it for not adequately protecting against "pre-existing conditions." Both these gentlemen were summoned to the White House so that President Trump could apply political pressure.

It worked for Trump.

But it was just yesterday Representative Fred Upton, a moderate Republican from Michigan, promised to say "no" to the American Health Care Act (AHCA), better known as Trumpcare. In fact, it was yesterday (on Wednesday). Rep. Upton received national attention for standing up and saying "no" to Trump. That stand was short-lived, meeting with President Donald Trump and agreeing to vote "yes" if an amendment he favored was attached to the AHCA. The "Upton Amendment" adds only $8 billion over five years to assist those with pre-existing conditions in those states seeking waivers under the AHCA as it currently stands.

'Upton Amendment' inadequate to protect all Americans from 'pre-existing conditions'

That stand by Rep. Upton was short-lived, meeting with President Donald Trump and agreeing to vote "yes" if an amendment he favored was attached to the AHCA. The "Upton Amendment" adds only $8 billion over five years to assist those with "pre-existing conditions" in those states seeking waivers under the AHCA as it currently stands.

The former chair of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee said he emphatically told a local radio station interview with Gary Stevens & Mary Ellen Murphy on "WHTC Morning News," he would not support the bill because it did not protect those with "pre-existing illness" in the same way Obamacare protects against it.

Reps. Upton and Long were against AHCA, then were turned around by Trump

The representative from southwestern Michigan's 6th Congressional district said that after meeting with members of the House Freedom Caucus on Monday, they were "not willing to budge." He claimed that he was "not willing to budge either." He continued. "I've got a line in the sand. This is a principle I've stood on." The "line in the sand" disappeared after he met with Trump at the White House. In the end, Rep. Upton did budge and "pre-existing conditions" remain vulnerable.

Steve Rattner, a respected Wall Street financier, disputes the impact of the "Upton Amendment." He tweeted that the "high-risk pools" are woefully underfunded by a total of $20 billion per year and $200 billion over the next ten years, making the $8 billion in the "Upton Amendment" woefully inadequate.

The reasoning behind this heart-tugging decision to oppose his own political party to help cancer and terminally-ill patients. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or Obamacare, being denied health insurance because of "pre-existing conditions" was unconditionally and unequivocally banned. Under the AHCA, not so much. In fact, according to Steve Rattner and many others, does not achieve "pre-existing conditions."

To add salt to the wound, the bill being voted on will still continue to contain an exemption for members of Congress and their staffs, in spite of assurances from House Speaker Paul Ryan that it would not be in the bill.
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