In response to the release of the latest Republican health care repeal bill, DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement:
“Every time the GOP takes their cruel bill back to the drawing board, they just come back with a different way to harm millions of hardworking families. The fact remains: Kicking people off their insurance and telling older, sicker and low-income Americans they can pay more for less isn’t a health care plan, it’s a moral abomination. And now, instead of facing their own constituents over August recess, Republicans plan to stay in Washington until they can ram their disastrous plan through the Senate.
“Democrats believe health care is a right, not a privilege. And we will not rest in holding Republicans accountable for this assault on the American people.”
Key takeaways from the Senate bill:
- Includes the same devastating cuts to the Medicaid program that will cause millions fewer people to have insurance.
- Could drive up premiums for sicker Americans and charge older Americans five times more than younger people.
- Includes giveaways to insurers and lets them sell skimpier plans that do not meet ACA requirements, including preventive care and mental and substance abuse treatment.
- Incorporates Ted Cruz’s disastrous idea that would send individual insurance markets into a death spiral, while middle-class families with medical needs could see their out-of-pocket costs soar.
- Looks out for the wealthy with the expansion of tax-advantaged health savings accounts.
- Defunds Planned Parenthood for one year and allows insurers to sell plans that don’t cover maternity care.
