Congresswoman Johnson criticized the House Republican “Pay More For Less” bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), whose Director was appointed by a Republican President, released a report detailing the consequences of the misguided bill:
“Failing to own up to Donald Trump’s promise that Republicans would provide ‘insurance for everybody,’ the 'Pay More For Less' bill’s flaws are showcased prominently in the CBO report,” said Representative Johnson. “Instead of expanding Americans’ access to health care, this bill will result in almost 24 million additional uninsured people in America over the next eight years. This is not an improvement on the Affordable Care Act – it is a partisan play that will hurt Americans and takes us backwards in our progress to get quality affordable healthcare for all.”
“The numbers from this report conclude that this bill is not effective in helping people. Hard-working people will suffer and they will not get the care they deserve,” continued Representative Johnson. “I will fight with every ounce of my strength to help the over 300,000 people in my Dallas-area district who could lose components of their health insurance coverage because of the ‘Pay More for Less’ bill.”
Key Findings of the CBO Report
- 24 million Americans will lose their health coverage by 2026 – including 14 million by 2018 alone.
- Under the GOP bill, 19 percent of the nonelderly population will be uninsured in 2026, compared to 10 percent in 2026 under current law.
- The bill would slash Medicaid by $880 billion over the next 10 years.
- Under the GOP bill, a 64-year-old with an income of $26,500 in the individual market could pay $12,900 more in their premiums each year.
- By defunding Planned Parenthood for one year, the bill would cause many women to lose access to critical care, including contraceptives and other family planning services.
- The bill gives $600 billion in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and large corporations – including the repeal of the 10% tax on tanning salons, repealing the tax on prescription drugs and medical devices, and gives $2.8 billion to the 400 richest people in the country.
