House Democratic leaders will oppose Republican-led legislation that allows insurers to continue insurance policies into 2014 even if they don’t meet Obamacare benefit standards, a Democratic leadership aide told TPM.
“The [Fred] Upton legislation would create a new insurance market where people with preexisting conditions would be discriminated against and women would pay more,” the aide said. “This bill would increase premiums and undermine the health reform law. While we have not seen final text, the leadership will oppose this legislation as it is the 46th attempt to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act.”
Rory Cooper, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), predicted that the bill would win Democratic votes. “Something tells me their members don’t feel the same way,” he wrote on Twitter, responding to the Democratic aide’s comment.
The White House came out against the bill earlier Tuesday afternoon. Read it here.