Alex Brandon / AP
The key changes to the Republican health care bill demanded by the conservative Freedom Caucus:
- A repeal of ACA's Essential Health Benefits (like emergency or maternity treatment) guaranteed under Obamacare
- An elimination of the "single risk pool," which prevents insurers from splitting the market into healthy and sick groups
- An elimination of rating restrictions, which allow insurers to base premiums only on age, area, tobacco use and family vs individual plan
- A repeal on lifetime or annual limits
- A reversal of standard documentation mandates, which make it easier to compare insurance plans
- A reversal on Medical Loss Ratio standards, which force large insurers spend at least 85% of premiums on claims
Why it matters: These changes would appease the Freedom Caucus, but could see moderates abandon the bill.