Americans Know How Devastating Health Repeal Will Be

Republican Senators have been negotiating the repeal of the Affordable Care Act behind closed doors to try and shield their bill from the public. Republicans are falsely saying that the Affordable Care Act in 2009 was legislated in similar fashion.

Politifact: “Scholars of Congress say the comparison between then and now is stark. In crafting the Affordable Care Act, the Democrats held extensive hearings and markups with opportunities for Republican amendments. The Democratic leadership also negotiated extensively with outside stakeholders, said Marquette University political scientist Philip Rocco.”

 

Why are Republicans working in secret? Because they know that Americans across the country overwhelmingly oppose Trump and Republicans’ efforts to take their health care away.

Politico: “Poll: Opposition to GOP health bill is on the rise”

CBS News: “Meanwhile, most Americans would prefer that Congress improve the Affordable Care Act, not repeal it, including half of Republicans who don't want it repealed entirely.”

 

The majority of Americans do not support health care repeal because they understand howdevastating it would for Americans across the country, including tens of millions of Medicaid recipients.

New York Times: “Tucked inside the Republican bill to replace Obamacare is a plan to impose a radical diet on a 52-year-old program that insures nearly one in five Americans. The bill, of course, would modify changes to the health system brought by the Affordable Care Act. But it would also permanently restructure Medicaid, which covers tens of millions of poor or disabled Americans, including millions who are living in nursing homes with conditions like Alzheimer’s or the aftereffects of a stroke.”

 

With today’s filing deadline and uncertainty created by Trump and Republicans, some healthinsurers have had to pull out of insurance markets and others have been forced to raise premiums.

New York Times: “Health insurers are scrambling to decide whether to stay or go by Wednesday’s deadline to file plans for the federal marketplace. Several major companies have already left some states, while others are threatening to leave. […] Premiums are also likely to be higher, according to Avalere, which analyzed filings in eight states. Insurers are seeking an 18 percent increase, on average, for the most popular so-called silver plans.”

Bloomberg: “Anthem will quit the Affordable Care Act’s individual insurance markets in Wisconsin and its home state of Indiana, the company said in a statement Wednesday. It blamed the volatile state of the markets, which have seen many plans come and go, as well as a lack of stability being offered by Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump’s administration in Washington.”

 

It’s clear that Republicans are willing to go through great lengths to give big tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires at the expense of vulnerable Americans.

New York Times Editorial: “The House bill, the American Health Care Act, would rob 23 million people ofhealth insurance and make it harder for millions of others to get the care they need, according to the Congressional Budget Office. It would cut federal spending by about $1.1 trillion over 10 years while giving the wealthy big tax cuts. Those numbers might be somewhat different for the Senate bill but, according to experts, not by much.”