On CNN’s New Day, Sen. Bill Cassidy blatantly lied about the devastating effects that Cassidy-Graham-Heller-Johnson would have on American families, and it’s important his constituents – as well as those of every Republican Senator trying to force this bill down the throats of the American public – see the facts.
“After being caught red-handed last night, Bill Cassidy just lied through his teeth,” said American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates. “This Trumpcare bill would ruin lives by taking health coverage from millions of Americans and and turning back the clock to when having a preexisting condition like cancer or congenital heart disease brought with it the threat of bankruptcy. The truth is that Republicans are obsessed with repealing the Affordable Care Act no matter what it costs the American people so that deregulated insurance companies can screw average Americans once again.”
LIE: “Under Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson more people will have coverage.”
FACT: Millions of Americans would lose their health coverage.
- American Medical Association, 9/19/2017: “
Millions would lose their health insurance coverage while destabilizing health insurance markets under new bill”
- American Hospital Association, 9/17/2017: “the block grant to provide support for the expansion population expires in 2026, thereby eliminating coverage for millions of Americans.”
LIE: “States like Maine, Virginia, Florida, Missouri, there will be billions more dollars to provide health insurance coverage for those in those states who have been passed over by Obamacare.”
FACT: According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, if Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson became law, the states Cassidy mentioned would lose nearly $25 billion in Medicaid and other healthcare funding cuts combined over the next 10 years:
- Maine: – $1,037,000,000
- Virginia: – $3,833,000,000
- Florida: – $17,801,000,000
- Missouri: – $3,423,000,000
According to the private healthcare consulting firm Avalere, the states Cassidy mentioned would lose $290 billion in Medicaid and other healthcare funding cuts combined from 2020-2036:
- Maine: – $17,000,000,000
- Virginia: – $39,000,000,000
- Florida: – $199,000,000,000
- Missouri: – $35,000,000,000
LIE: “And we protect those with preexisting conditions.”
FACT: Cassidy-Graham-Heller-Johnson would cripple the Affordable Care Act’s guarantee that Americans with preexisting conditions cannot be discriminated against.
- American Medical Association, 9/19/2017: “
allowing states to get waivers to vary premiums based on health status would allow insurers to charge unaffordable premiums based on those pre-existing conditions.
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 9/15/2017:
“The revised Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal plan from Senators Bill Cassidy and Lindsey Graham, which is also backed by Senators Dean Heller and Ron Johnson, would give states broad waiver authority to eliminate the ACA’s core protections for people with pre-existing health conditions.”
- Associated Press, 9/19/2017: “Losers — People with health problems or with pre-existing medical conditions could be charged more if the state they live in obtains a waiver from current requirements that forbid insurers from charging higher premiums based on health status.”