03.24.17

Scott Statement on Republicans Failed Attempt to Pass TrumpCare

WASHINGTON, DC – Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after House GOP Leadership postponed consideration of H.R. 1628 – Trumpcare:

“Today is a victory for health care security for millions of families. The bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act was a bad deal for the American people, and even those who oppose the Affordable Care Act recognized the serious flaws with the Republican plan. By every measure, the Republican bill made things worse – by increasing the number of uninsured, forcing almost everyone else to pay more for less, while giving a huge tax cut to the wealthy.”

RANKING MEMBER BOBBY SCOTT’S FULL FLOOR REMARKS:

 “As we talk about the Affordable Care Act, I think it is important to remind ourselves of the situation before it the law was passed. Costs were going through the roof, people with pre-existing conditions could not get insurance, women were paying more than men, and every year millions of people were losing their insurance.

“We passed the Affordable Care Act and since then, the costs have continued to go up, but at the lowest rate in 50 years. Those with pre-existing conditions can get insurance at the standard rate, women are no longer paying more than men, and instead of millions of people losing insurance every year, 20 million more people now have insurance.

“The full name of the Affordable Care Act is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. So now: 

  • Your coverage can’t be canceled if your insurance company decides that it’s paid too much;
  • Preventive services, such as cancer screenings, are free, with no co-pays or deductibles; 
  • We are closing the donut hole; and
  • Those under 26 can stay on a parent’s policy.

“We also funded community health centers; we made investments in education so we can produce more doctors, nurses, and other professionals. Through all that, the Medicare trust fund is more solvent than it was before.

“Still the law is not perfect, but if we are going to make a change, we ought to improve the law, not make it worse. Incredibly, this bill makes things worse. And, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has separated promises and press releases from reality: 24 million fewer people will be covered, and most people will pay more and get less. My Republican colleagues call this ‘choice’ and the ‘freedom’ to be uninsured. 

“All of these consequences will occur, if the proposal actually works. A number of states have done what this bill tries to do: cover people with pre-existing conditions without achieving universal coverage. All of those attempts failed.

“So the question we must ask is, ‘Who will be better off if this bill passes?’ Certainly not people who will be subject to the bill’s age tax. Certainly not veterans who will lose benefits. Certainly not senior citizens in nursing homes and people with disabilities who will suffer due to drastic cuts to Medicaid. Even the solvency of the Medicare trust fund will be worse. However, millionaires will get tax cuts.

“Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of complaints and shortcomings about the Affordable Care Act, but if we’re going to make any changes, we should improve the law. Unfortunately, this bill makes things worse – 24 million families and working people will lose their insurance and almost everyone else will pay more and get less. This bill should be defeated.”

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