Senate Republicans’ healthcare bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act would bolster the dwindling individual insurance market in the short term, but eventually cause enrollment to plummet, according to a report by ratings agency S&P Global.
The Senate bill eliminates the financial penalty for individuals who don’t purchase health insurance. Instead, the Better Care Reconciliation Act replaces the fine with a six-month waiting period that’s unlikely to keep people enrolled, S&P analysts said.”The lack of a requirement to have insurance can prove to be a negative for insurers in the individual market,” the report states.