House Republicans’ ACA Repeal Bill: Kicking Americans Off Their Health Coverage, Forcing People to Pay More for Less

For seven years, Republicans have said they have a better alternative to the Affordable Care Act, and over the course of the campaign, the President promisedto provide “insurance for everybody” that is “much less expensive” and “much better.” But now that House Republicans have released text of their bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, we know those are empty promises.                                         

Here’s a look at who would be better off under the Republican repeal bill:

Wealthy Americans: “Households at the top of the U.S. income ladder would see taxes on their wages and investments drop under the House Republicans’ new health-care proposal.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/7/17]

Insurance Company CEOs: “The Republican plan to replace Obamacare includes a tax break for insurance company executives making over $500,000 per year.” [Buzzfeed, 3/6/17]

Meanwhile, working Americans would lose coverage and be forced to pay more for less: 

Working families: “…Most health care experts agree on this much: Millions of Americans are likely to lose their coverage under the new GOP plan.” [CNN, 3/7/17]

Mothers: “…likely to make maternity coverage, among other services, immensely expensive, if available at all.” [LA Times, 3/6/17]

Seniors, pregnant women, and children on Medicaid: “Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, which has been adopted in 31 states and Washington, D.C., would shut down at the end of 2019… The bill also proposes a major overhaul of Medicaid, a federal-state program covering more than 70 million low-income and disabled Americans. Instead of the current open-ended federal entitlement, states would get capped payments based on the number of Medicaid enrollees.” [Politico, 3/6/17]

Seniors on Medicare: “It also will exacerbate the fiscal problems of Medicare, by hastening the exhaustion of the program’s trust fund by four years, to 2025.” [LA Times, 3/6/17]

Women: “It would bar Planned Parenthood from receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in federal Medicaid reimbursements — the majority of the organization’s federal funding... Low-income women will be hit especially hard, but all Planned Parenthood patients may be affected…” [Vox, 3/6/17]

Already, House GOP leaders are facing criticism from Republicans in both chambers:

Freedom Caucus Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH): “This is Obamacare by a different form…They’re still keeping the taxes in place and Medicaid expansion, and they’re starting a new entitlement.” [Politico, 3/6/17]

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) Op-ed: “ObamaCare provisions dressed up in shiny new GOP-branded clothes would mean the loss of too many conservative votes for passage.” [Fox News Op-Ed, 3/6/17]

Rep. Dave Brat (R-VA): “…the bill maintains many of the federal features including a new entitlement program as well as most of the insurance regulations.” [Politico, 3/6/17]

Republican Study Committee Memo: “This is a Republican welfare entitlement…Writing checks to individuals to purchase insurance is, in principle, Obamacare.” [Politico, 3/6/17]

Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): “The February 10th draft proposal from the House does not meet the test of stability for individuals currently enrolled in the program and we will not support a plan that does not include stability for Medicaid expansion populations or flexibility for states” [The Hill Extra, 3/6/17]

In addition, House GOP leaders are ramming the legislation through committee without a hearing or CBO score:  

Their decision to do so stands in stark contrast to their calls for openness and transparency when the Affordable Care Act was considered: 

HHS Secretary Tom Price:“The negotiations are obviously being done in secret and the American people really just want to know what they are trying to hide.” [CBS News, 1/6/2010]

Kevin Brady, Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee (R-TX):“I think there is never a more critical time for the American public to weigh in on an important issue than on health care today and there is a lot about this bill we don't know...” [Town Hall, 8/10/2009]

Former Speaker John Boehner (R-OH): “Can you say it was done openly, with transparency and accountability? Without backroom deals struck behind closed doors, hidden from the people? ... Hell no you can’t!” [CNN, 3/21/2010]

With Republicans divided over their repeal bill and passage in the House and Senate far from certain, Republicans continue to sow uncertainty and destabilize our health care system, which will lead to premium increases and, in some cases, insurers exiting the marketplaces in 2018.  With control of the White House and Congress, Republicans are entirely responsible for what happens to Americans’ coverage and costs as a result of their actions. 

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