How many in the US have pre-exising conditons? That is not the only issue causing opposition to the GOP "compromise"

How many would be affected? Using the definition before Obamacare, 22% of all non-elderly adults in Colorado, those getting insurance from employers or government exchanges or in the private market. . There is a reason why AARP and the AMA oppose the current version ("compromise" ) before the House...a compromise that would put all of those with pre-existing conditions into a high riskpool if states want.  Throwing the right of states to opt out of covering pre-existing conditions and essential benefits is they way states will reduce the costs to everyone else. Right now all health insurance provided by employers, private market, and to Medicare, Medicaid and insurance provided by the exchanges must provide the esssential benefits and cover pre-existing conditions on the same basis to all with no higher costs for those required coverage. The "compromise" being offered by the GOP and at stake this week would remove these guarantees and be able to charge more to the very ones who need these benefits..those with pre-existing conditions and women.The GOP  Plan they are supporting  and trying to round up votes today still destroys Medicaid expansion putting 15 million into the exchanges they cannot afford now, much less later, and in total still leaving 24 million without insurance int he next ten years.  The pre-existing condition issue is the most dramatic and affects so many, but there are other issues just as important to others.  That states will attempt to reduce premium costs by opting out of benefits, essential and pre-existing conditions is very likely under a GOP plan.   

The GOP responds that they will give states the right to abandon coverage of pre-existing conditions if they set up "high risk pools", which means at least around 22% of their entire adult population would participate.  Past experience has shown that this is a very expensive way to go and a compromise being discussed this morning is to fund/subsidize those pools to the tune of $8 billion.  Even then, all other essential benefits lose their guaranteed coverage and at minimum 15 million lose their health insurance with the loss Medicaid expansion. 

The real travesty is that the exact impact, fiscal and on affordable access to insurance that includes losing the guarantee of essential benefits and destroying Medicaid expansion is going to have on people's lives will not receive the benefit of a Congressional Budget Office calculation.  The rush is to get the vote before the CBO score.  This is outrageous. The score must happen before the vote. However, what it does do is indicate the GOP is afraid of the score and the education of the public..

http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/01/news/economy/obamacare-trump-pre-existing-conditions/index.html

http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/pre-existing-conditions-and-medical-underwriting-in-the-individual-insurance-market-prior-to-the-aca/