California representatives weigh in on Senate Trumpcare bill

With the release of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on the healthcare bill proposed in the U.S. Senate, several Los Angeles area representatives released statements regarding the bill.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13) says the “healthcare” proposed by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and his fellow Republicans is a warning to all Americans. In her statement she said, “The Congressional Budget Office’s report on the Senate Republican ‘health care’ bill is a warning to the American people. If we do nothing – and allow this heartless bill to become law – 22 million of our neighbors and loved ones will lose lifesaving health coverage.

“Families would be forced to choose between filling prescriptions and paying the mortgage. Older Americans on the brink of retirement would be priced out of healthcare. Seniors who rely on Medicaid for long-term care would be left without the help they need. Women in some states would lose coverage for essential health benefits — like maternity and reproductive health care.

“Millions of Americans would suffer unnecessarily — all so that Republicans can deliver another massive tax breaks to billionaires and special interests. Now that’s what I call mean.”

Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA-52) called the bill a tax cut for the wealthiest in his statement. “The Senate repeal bill is a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans that would cause tens of millions of Americans to lose their health coverage. If this bill becomes law, millions fewer Americans would have access to plans that cover essential health benefits like maternity care and substance abuse, seniors would see their out-of-pocket costs skyrocket and their options for long-term care dwindle, and those families who can still afford health insurance would pay more for less coverage.

“This tax cut bill won’t fix our health care system. It is beyond time for us to start over and work with the doctors, nurses, hospitals, and patients who oppose this plan to come up with a bipartisan bill that makes healthcare more affordable and accessible for all Americans.”

When the bill was first introduced, Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-27 said, “After hiding from the American people, Senate Republicans have finally released their health care plan. Written in secret without any hearings, committee markups, or formal debate, the Senate’s bill is just as mean as the House’s. Under the Senate Trumpcare bill, millions will lose their insurance thanks to rising costs. Deep Medicaid cuts will hurt the poor, disabled, and elderly in nursing homes, while the new Age Tax will penalize seniors. Out of pocket costs will soar. Women across the country will lose access to essential healthcare because this bill defunds Planned Parenthood. And Americans will once again have to pay out of pocket for basic care like prescription drugs, maternity care, and emergency services, all of which come with hefty price tags. Meanwhile, drug makers, insurance companies and the richest few will line their pockets with tax cuts paid for by cutting healthcare for the less fortunate. This is yet another heartless healthcare bill that must be rejected. Instead, I urge Republicans to join us in improving the existing healthcare system which puts a priority on covering more people so that illness or injury do not mean financial ruin.”

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) said the bill is “downright immoral.” Her statement reads, “We should make it easier for Americans to increase access to quality, affordable health care, not make it harder. This report confirms what we already know: the Republican bill kicks millions of Americans off their health insurance in order to provide the wealthiest in America with a tax cut. 22 million more Americans would be uninsured over the next decade including 15 million Americans next year, costs will go up for middle class families, and care will be in jeopardy for millions of seniors, women, children, and those with preexisting conditions.

“The priorities of this bill are backwards. It cuts $772 billion from Medicaid programs that help seniors pay for nursing home care, that support children with special needs, and that allow Americans to access opioid treatment. It causes millions of Americans with insurance coverage through their employer to lose coverage. It will make premiums go up an average of 20 percent next year and cause coverage to be worse. All while giving insurance companies and the top 1% tax breaks.

“This proposal is downright immoral. We must reject this bill and pursue meaningful, bipartisan improvements to our health care system for all the American people.”

Senator Diane Feinstein called the bill “indefensible” in her statement. “The Senate Republican health care bill is just as bad as the House bill. It will drive 22 million Americans off their health coverage and slash Medicaid by $772 billion. Premiums would increase, plans would provide less coverage and the richest Americans would reap billions of dollars in tax cuts. That’s simply unacceptable.

“Under the Senate Republican bill, plans would cover significantly less than they do now and out-of-pocket costs would be exorbitant. The CBO notes that ‘despite being eligible for premium tax credits, few low-income people would purchase any plan’ because those plans would essentially be junk.

“This is simply indefensible and I don’t know how anyone could vote for this bill.”

Representative Karen Bass (D-CA-37) spoke on MSNBC Monday after the CBO scoring was released. At the bottom is a video of her response.

None of the L.A. area Republican representatives issued statements about the Senate bill or the CBO scoring.

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UPDATE: Senate Democrats went live on Facebook to respond to the GOP healthcare bill Tuesday morning.

Top photo: the U.S. Capital