CBO Score For Revised House Health Bill Still Finds Big Coverage Loss But The Costs Grow
The changes made by Republicans leaders did not alter the original forecast of 24 million Americans losing their insurance. But the Congressional Budget Office said although the new plan would still reduce the deficit, it would cost $186 billion more over 10 years than the earlier legislation.
The New York Times:
C.B.O. Update: Health Bill Amendments Will Cost More But Not Insure More
A revised version of the Republican health care bill being considered by Congress would leave 24 million more Americans uninsured by 2026, like the original bill, but would reduce the deficit by half as much, according to a new report by the Congressional Budget Office. (Davis, Popovich and Patel, 3/23)
The Washington Post:
CBO: Latest House GOP Health-Care Bill Would Mean As Many Uninsured By 2026
According to the CBO’s projections, a set of amendments that House GOP leaders agreed to support Monday night would cut the federal deficit by $150 billion between 2017 and 2026. The original version of the American Health Care Act, as the bill is called, would have curbed the deficit by an estimated $337 billion in that period. The changes would have less impact on savings because they would make it easier for Americans to deduct the cost of medical care from their income taxes and would accelerate by a year the repeal of several taxes that help pay for the ACA, including taxes on insurers, hospitals, high-income adults and tanning beds. (Goldstein, 3/23)
Politico:
CBO: Revisions To GOP Health Plan Add To Deficit Without Improving Coverage
The estimated cost of premiums would also be about the same. CBO has predicted that the average premium for an individual plan would jump between 15 and 20 percent over the next two years. By 2026, premiums would be 10 percent lower than they would have been under current law. (Ferris, 3/23)
The Washington Post:
This Is The Problem With Delaying A Vote On Republicans’ Health-Care Bill
This CBO score is one of the reasons Republicans' last-minute delay on a planned Thursday vote on the bill is so damaging for their already slim chances of getting something passed: It gives every side opposed to this bill — and there are many — more time to digest what they hate most about it. (Phillips, 3/23)
Modern Healthcare:
New CBO Score Could Further Sink Revised Obamacare Repeal Bill
Federal Medicaid spending reductions would dip from $880 billion over 10 years in the original version of the proposed American Health Care Act to $839 billion. ... The CBO did not score a provision that House Republicans reportedly want the Senate to insert in the bill to boost coverage among people aged 50 to 64. It would establish a “reserve fund” of about $90 billion for tax credits to help Americans in that age group, whom the CBO said would suffer big coverage losses under the AHCA because the new tax credits would not be nearly as generous as the ACA's. (Meyer, 3/23)
Roll Call:
New CBO Estimate Does Little To Woo Critics
Democrats pounced on the report’s findings. “As bad as TrumpCare already was, the Manager’s Amendment is crueler to Medicaid recipients, while handing billions more to the richest Americans,” said Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in a statement. “Apparently they still do not have the votes to pass the bill, and are working to make it even worse. The Speaker calls the bill ‘an act of mercy.’ TrumpCare is a moral monstrosity. It’s time to pull the plug.” (Mershon and Williams, 3/23)
The Hill:
CBO Releases New Score For ObamaCare Repeal Bill
GOP leaders had pledged that they would wait for the CBO's new score before holding a floor vote on the legislation. That vote could happen as early as Friday. The CBO's score, however, does not reflect last-minute changes that could be made to win over conservatives, including repeal of ObamaCare's minimum coverage requirements. That change would be significant, but it is possible House Republicans could bring up the vote without that revised score. (Sullivan, 3/23)
The Hill:
GOP Rushes To Vote Without Knowing Full Impact Of Healthcare Plan
"Have you read the bill? Have you read the reconciliation bill? Have you read the manager’s amendment? Hell no, you haven’t!” That was then-House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) in 2010 in the heat of the debate over ObamaCare. Seven years later, Democrats could easily turn those words around on Republicans for the strategy they're using to repeal and replace the same law Boehner railed against. House Republicans are moving forward with a vote Friday on their ObamaCare replacement bill even after making significant changes the night before, and without a Congressional Budget Office analysis of those changes. (Marcos and Sullivan, 3/23)
