Enzi Bill Would Eliminate Crucial State Health Protections for 85 Million People

The Bill Would Cause a Loss of Coverage for Cervical, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancer Screening, as well as Mammograms, Mental Health Care, and Well-Child Care

Washington, D.C. – The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (HIMMA), introduced by Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY) and scheduled for a vote by the Senate this week, would harm 85 million people who currently have health coverage. That is the conclusion of a report released today by the national consumer health organization Families USA.

The Enzi bill would preempt state regulations that currently protect insured people so that they receive adequate coverage. According to the Families USA report, key medical treatment protections that would be lost in at least 20 states include: cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancer screenings; mammograms; mental health care; well-child care; emergency services; alcoholism treatment; dental anesthesia; diabetic supplies and education; drug abuse treatment; metabolic disorders; and home health care.

The Families USA report also concludes that the Enzi bill would result in higher, discriminatory health insurance premiums for people with health problems and disabilities because it would override state laws that protect people from significant premium differences based on health status, age, gender, and other factors.

“The Enzi bill is one of the most harmful anti-consumer health bills in recent memory,” said Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA. “This bill leaves millions of people at the mercy of health insurance companies by eliminating a range of state laws that protect the consumer and regulate insurance company behavior.”

The Families USA report also shows that the Enzi bill would increase the cost of insurance for small businesses with older and sicker workers when they first buy insurance. If the Enzi bill passes, insurers will be allowed to charge small businesses as much as 67 percent more for premiums if some of their workers are in less-than-perfect health.

Copies of the report can be found on the Families USA Web site: The Enzi Bill: Bad Medicine for America

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org