House passed bills that will destroy health coverage for millions of Medicaid and Medicare
Today, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have passed their exhaustive settlement bill. Now, it will head to the Senate for the last pass this summer.
Cut key plans will pay administrative priorities
The bill run by the House will expand and expand many tax cuts passed by Republicans in 2017, which raises government priorities such as immigration enforcement and raises the statutory debt limit by $4 trillion. Some of these costs will be paid through harmful cuts that will rely on programs that keep millions of people healthy, including Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act and the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
CBO analysis predicts millions of lost insurance coverage
An analysis of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) of an earlier version of the bill found that it would deprive nearly 9 million Medicaid and Affordable Care Act program of health coverage. The bill also cannot extend the premium tax credit, which can help more than 22 million people buy market plans and will expire this year. The CBO expects these recommendations will result in 13.7 million people without policyholders. Importantly, the CBO has not reviewed the final House bill, which includes an 11-hour revision that could deepen the coverage losses.
…These suggestions will result in 13.7 million people without policyholders.
Access to risky care
The bill will also increase costs and harm the care of many people who try to maintain healthy coverage.
The bill will also increase costs and harm the care of many people who try to maintain healthy coverage. It will deprive low-income Medicare beneficiaries of critical financial assistance, making it harder for them to pay for care and prescription drugs; impose new cost requirements on certain Medicaid personnel; and provide high premium and cost sharing for those with market plans. Other policies target specific populations: it will reduce the risk of affordability and access to immigrants in need of reproductive health services, transgender people, women and those in need, and enable older people and persons with disabilities to eliminate the risk of life-saving nursing home equipment requirements.
Tax cuts disproportionately benefit high-income earners
Supporters of the bill claim that the changes are necessary to pay tax relief, which they say will benefit Americans greatly and deal with losses in health coverage and food aid. But the independent experts disagree. This week’s separate analysis concluded that Americans who make the least money would be worse under the bill. For these individuals and families, their tax changes will not exceed their cuts in health care and robbery. However, the most Americans will see unexpected gains with lower taxes.
for [Americans who make the least amount of money]its tax changes will not exceed its cuts in healthcare and robbery.
Medicare Rights Strongly Oppose the Act
The Medicare Rights Center strongly opposes the dangerous bill. It attacks Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, undermines health care, economic security, and well-being for low-income Americans to fund tax policies that disproportionately benefit the least needed. As attention turns to the House of Lords, we urge every senator to abandon this flawed bill. The elderly cannot afford these changes. People with disabilities cannot afford these changes. Family cannot afford these changes. The health, access to care and financial future for millions of Americans.
Take action
The Reconciliation Act is now headed to the Senate, where it will face further deliberation and vote. Senators now need to hear the dangers of the bill from the public. Contact your legislator now.
