STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
WASHINGTON — Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins both issued statements today in response to a Congressional Budget Office report detailing the impact of the Republican’s plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
The CBO states that “in 2018, 14 million more people would be uninsured under the legislation than under current law,” and that “the increase in the number of uninsured people relative to the number under current law would rise to 21 million in 2020 and then to 24 million in 2026.”
For the full report: https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52486
Gillibrand said, “the CBO report confirms what we already knew. Trumpcare will force millions to lose their insurance, cost seniors and families more, and give high-priced tax breaks to insurance companies at the expense of middle class workers.”
Higgins called the CBO estimates “a devastating step back in the progress we’ve made to cover the uninsured and bring down the cost-curve in healthcare,” adding “this is further evidence that the provisions that have been crafted do not represent a legitimate plan to actually repeal and replace quality health care coverage for working Americans. The bill is at its core a political statement not a statement of American values.”
Higgins continued, “In addition to the loss of coverage generally, let’s take a look at who really pays the price for the $880 billion cut in Medicaid: children in need of primary care coverage, individuals with developmental disabilities, and our parents and grandparents in need of long-term nursing home care. I strongly oppose this failed plan that will provide less coverage for millions of Americans, tax credits for rich executives, and attack our most vulnerable populations.”
The Congressional Budget Office is a non-partisan organization charged with offering timely analysis to aid in economic and budgetary decisions on a wide array of programs covered by the federal budget.
