How the Republican Senate Healthcare Repeal Bill Impacts You
Senate Republicans promised to start over and write a plan that improves people’s health care; instead, they doubled down on the failed repeal approach that puts everyone’s health care last, and tax breaks for the wealthiest first.
Republicans wrote their plan in secret, have refused to hold hearings, and are rushing to force a vote next week because they know the public hates what they are doing. Here’s what the Republican bill does:
- Reduces the tax credits that help people in the middle class afford their health care
- Allows insurance companies to charge up to five times as much for people over 50
- Cuts Medicaid spending even more than the House bill ending Medicaid as we know it
and taking away care for seniors in nursing homes, people with disabilities and kids - Lets insurance companies deny coverage for maternity care, mental health care, and
substance use treatment - Cuts treatments for people with opioid disorders
- Gives hundreds of billions in tax breaks to the wealthy and big corporations
Here is a side-by-side comparison by the Century Foundation that breaks down the difference between the Republican’s proposals and current law:
Here’s another comparison offering by the Washington Post (click here)
Republicans wrote their health care bill in secret because they wanted to hide the damage it would do until the last possible minute.
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- There still hasn’t been a single hearing, a markup, any chance for public and expert
input and with one week before the vote. - A reminder about how the Affordable Care Act passed into law:
- The bill was online for 3 months
- There were 200 bipartisan hearings and meetings
- It was the longest markup in decades – going on for 7 days
- It was on the Senate floor for 25 days
- There still hasn’t been a single hearing, a markup, any chance for public and expert
There is no way to fix this bill – no matter what backroom deals they make in the coming days to buy off certain Senators.
- It doesn’t matter if you are cutting coverage for 23 million, 20 million or 15 million – you are still kicking millions of people off of their health care coverage.
- A possible $45 billion dollar fund for opioid treatment falls $140 billion short in meeting the needs of the millions of Americans who will lose access to addiction and mental health treatment.
- Ending Medicaid expansion a few years later is still ending Medicaid expansion for millions.
Rushing forward on health care repeal shows Republicans Senators are ignoring the will of the American people.
- From polls to town hall meetings, people have rejected these plans to repeal health care – wanting to keep what works and fix what doesn’t, instead.
- According to a June 8 Quinnipiac Poll, less than one out of five voters supports this health care repeal.
- Republicans promised us they would never embrace the House health care bill that was rejected by voters but that is exactly what they have done.
It is irresponsible for Senator Alexander and Senator Corker to vote on this bill next week. The public should have time to fully understand how this bill will impact their lives and Senators have a duty to listen to their constituents and hold hearings with experts before any vote takes place.