Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) today released the following statement after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its score detailing the projected impacts of the Senate version of Trumpcare.

Today’s score found that under the Senate Trumpcare bill, 22 million more Americans would lack health insurance over the next decade (for a total of 49 million uninsured by 2026) and critical federal funding to states would be cut by $772 billion.    

“Under Trumpcare, 49 million total Americans – more people than at any other time – will be uninsured within ten years. That is record-breaking in all the wrong ways,” said Larsen. “Additionally, like the House version, the Senate version of Trumpcare raises premiums, puts essential health care out of reach for millions of Americans, and slashes financial assistance for hardworking families – all to provide major tax cuts to the wealthy and big businesses.”                                                           

Key provisions of Trumpcare include gutting the Medicaid program, repealing the individual mandate and causing uncertainty in the healthcare marketplace, doing away with the Affordable Care Act tax credits that low- and middle-income families rely on to afford health insurance, decimating funding for Planned Parenthood, and repealing the taxes on wealthy Americans which currently finance America’s health care infrastructure. This legislation also reduces health care quality and access by allowing states to subject people who have temporary lapses in care to six-month waiting periods for insurance and to choose whether to keep the essential health benefits requirement, which would allow insurance companies to stop covering necessary services like maternity care and treatment for opioid abuse.

In Washington state, the uninsured rate dropped from 14 to 5.8 percent thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and across the country the bill helped cut the personal bankruptcy filings in half.

Since January, Larsen has held eight Affordable Care Act “Town Talks” in towns and cities across Northwest Washington – hearing from more than 1000 constituents in Mountlake Terrace, Bellingham, Marysville, Anacortes, Langley and Sedro-Woolley, and Friday Harbor.

###