Screenshot via SenateDemocrats/YouTube
Democrats in Congress blasted the Republicans’ revised American Health Care Act (AHCA) in light of a report from the Congressional Budget Office released Wednesday that projected the bill would reportedly save $ 119 billion through 2026 at the expense of 23 million uninsured people.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that “unless you’re a healthy millionaire,” the AHCA would be a “nightmare.”
“The report makes clear that Trumpcare would be a cancer on the American health care system — causing costs to skyrocket, making coverage unaffordable for those with preexisting conditions and many seniors, and kicking millions off of their health insurance,” Schumer said Wednesday.
Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin also criticized the bill.
“No wonder the Republicans were afraid of the CBO analysis,” Durbin said in a statement. “Trumpcare 2.0 will still force millions of Americans to lose their health insurance, raise premiums, and put critical health care services beyond the reach of hard-working families. All of this to give a GOP tax cut to the wealthiest.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont kept it succinct, tweeting, “What a disgrace” shortly after the CBO score was released.
Sanders continued railing on the AHCA during a press conference with other Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday.
“It’s not a healthcare bill,” he said. “So call it whatever you want, but please do not call this a healthcare bill.”
The CBO also reported that the AHCA would slash $ 834 million from Medicaid, the bulk of which would be diverted to tax cuts.
“Premiums would vary significantly according to health status and the types of benefits provided, and less healthy people would face extremely high premiums,” the report stated.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the AHCA “has no pulse because it has no heart.”
“The CBO — [a] nonpartisan fact-based score — shows what a horror show this Republican plan is for people who need healthcare most,” he said. “What this scores shows is monstrous mounting costs, skyrocketing financial cost, catastrophic human cost, unconscionable moral cost — those clear facts are undeniable.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, also of Connecticut, noted the potential harm to those with preexisting conditions.
“If you are an individual with a preexisting condition in a state that uses the waiver, you will not be able to buy insurance,” Murphy said. “If you are sick, if you have ever been sick in this country, you are now at risk of losing your healthcare. That’s plainly what CBO says.”
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