AHCA’s Raid of Medicare, Drastic cuts to Medicaid “Dangerous and Unfair”
The following statement was issued by Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, in response to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) releasing its score of the House GOP’s American Health Care Act (AHCA).
“Today’s CBO score confirms older Americans’ worst fears: the American Health Care Act passed by the House is a disaster for older Americans who are not yet eligible for Medicare. President Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan are taking health insurance coverage away from 23 million Americans.
“The CBO’s numbers are especially troubling for anyone with a pre-existing condition. Premium increases are going to be massive for this group, which includes millions of older Americans. That will destabilize the health care markets. Among people ages 55 to 64, 84 percent had at least one pre-existing condition in 2014.
“The scenario isn’t much better for those who qualify for Medicare, since the bill robs the Medicare Trust Fund to pay for tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.
“This bill decimates Medicaid, with more than $800 billion in cuts. Donald Trump’s 2018 fiscal year budget attempts to add another $600 billion in Medicaid cuts to that figure, for a total of $1.4 trillion.
“We now know why the House leadership was in such a hurry to pass this dreadful legislation without a single hearing: this bill is both dangerous and unfair.
“The CBO confirms some states will drop the coverage guarantee for people with pre-existing conditions, making health insurance a privilege for the wealthy, not a right.
“Members of the Alliance for Retired Americans are mobilized and ready to fight tooth and nail against the AHCA in the Senate.”
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