09.26.17

Scott Statement on CBO Score of Latest Senate Trumpcare Bill

WASHINGTONCommittee on Education and the Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an initial analysis of the latest version of the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill.

“The Senate Republicans’ rushed, last-ditch efforts to pass the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill without regular order has left CBO without time to provide a full assessment of the bill’s impact on coverage and cost. However, CBO did project that, if enacted, millions of additional Americans would be uninsured compared to current law – just like every other Republican proposal we’ve seen this year.

"Whatever you think of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), if Congress is going to consider any changes to the existing system, we should improve the law.  This bill, like the versions before it, cuts critical consumer protections that Americans now enjoy, strips protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions, and erodes Medicaid. This means fewer people covered, worse coverage, and higher health care costs. The initial CBO score along with the bill’s growing unpopularity – even among Republicans – is further evidence that it is worse on every measure.

"Democrats have offered to work together with Republicans to improve health care, but Republican leaders in the House, along with the White House, have refused to even try to develop bipartisan proposals. Regardless of whether it is a Republican's proposal or Democrat's proposal, if it improves the ACA by decreasing costs, improving the quality of coverage, increasing access to insurance, and maintaining protections for those with pre-existing conditions, I would support it. But the latest Trumpcare bill is worse than the present law on all counts. Across the country, families, doctors, advocacy groups, and hospitals alike have all urged Republicans to give up their repeal efforts and I hope they finally listen to the American people.”    

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