A member of the Presidential Cabinet claimed that millions will lose healthcare coverage under Republican reform proposals due to “individual choice.”
Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta made the assertion on Tuesday, when asked by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) about the intention of Republicans’ healthcare plan.
“We are asking how we can go forward as a nation with a bill that respects individual choice,” Acosta said before a Senate appropriations subcommittee.
“Insurance is really important to people,” Murphy replied. “Do you think that the purpose of healthcare reform should be to insure more people or less people?”
“Senator, again, the purpose of healthcare reform is to ensure that individuals have access to insurance choice,” Acosta retorted.
“You’re not suggesting that, of the 22 million people that will lose insurance, the majority of them are choosing to lose insurance?” Murphy asked. The lawmaker was referring to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis, which predicted that 22 million Americans will lose insurance by 2026, as a result of Senate Republicans’ proposal.
“What I am a suggesting is that we have a healthcare system that imposes a number of mandates. As a nation, it’s getting increasingly expensive. And I am encouraging Congress to work to address those issues,” Acosta said.
Acosta was backed up later in the hearing by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The Republican pointed out that CBO said 15 million additional people would be uninsured due to the repeal of Obamacare’s individual mandate, which imposes a tax penalty on those who don’t have health insurance.
But that number only referred to those who will be uninsured in 2018–a year that will also see insurance premiums spike by 20 percent, according to the CBO.
The CBO analysis also predicted that, by 2026, 15 million additional people will be without coverage due proposed cuts in Medicaid–a program that insures low-income Americans.
Additionally belying the theory that individual choice will drive decision-making about insurance coverage under Republicans’ plan, the CBO study predicted that insurance rates by 2026 would sharply correlate with income–by much more than they currently do.
Under Republicans’ legislation, the uninsurance rate is expected to be 9.2 percent for those between the ages of 30-49 years old, with income 200 percent above the poverty line, for example. The same rate is expected to be 36.7 percent for the same age cohort with income 200 percent below the poverty line.
Under current law, the CBO analysis predicts those two income and age groups will lack insurance at the rates of 5.3 and 19.8 percent by 2026.
“CBO does not come to the conclusion that 23 million, 22 million are going to lose coverage because they are exercising their right to decline coverage,” Sen. Murphy stated.
Senate Republicans had been hoping to vote on their healthcare proposal this Thursday. But they announced Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the CBO analysis was published, that they would hold off on forcing a vote this week.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) decided to take the bill of the agenda because he didn’t have the votes.
Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) believed that the bill didn’t do enough to repeal vestiges of Obamacare. Meanwhile, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dean Heller (R-Nevada) were worried about the proposal taking insurance away from constituents.
