Senate Republicans rolled out modest revisions to their health care bill on Monday, including a penalty for Americans who have a lapse in insurance coverage.
The changes come as Senate Republican leaders try to garner more support from inside the party for their ObamaCare overhaul, with several members voicing reservations. The changes announced Monday, though, are not necessarily part of those negotiations.
Under the updated version, those who have a break in insurance coverage for 63 days or more in the prior year would face a six-month waiting period to start new coverage. During that six-month window, consumers would not have to pay premiums. The penalty would start in 2019.
This was a gray area in the initial version of the Senate’s “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017.” The original draft made it clear that the individual mandate — the ObamaCare tax penalty imposed on those who do not purchase health insurance — would be eliminated, but included no penalty for people who let coverage expire.
Originally published by Fox News.
