Republican leaders are pleased their health reform plan would lower premiums on average up to 10% - and shave $68 billion from the federal deficit.
But the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found an odd feature in the 230-page bill: Coverage would be more expensive for older people and folks who are sick.
And it would not bar insurers from excluding preexisting conditions.
The congressional analysts found the GOP effort would lower costs by bringing in more young, healthy people who need fewer services while raising rates for older, sickly people.
"Some provisions of the legislation would tend to decrease the premiums paid by all insurance enrollees, while other provisions would tend to increase the premiums paid by less healthy enrollees," the CBO analysis says.
A federal three-judge panel on Wednesday allowed North Carolina to use a redrawn congressional map aimed...
