Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) today released the following statement after voting against Trumpcare, the GOP health care bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which passed the House on a 217-213 vote.

“Today, Congressional Republicans and President Trump forced a vote on Trumpcare 2.0, legislation that is even more heartless than the first version,” said Larsen. “If Trumpcare 2.0 becomes law, 24 million Americans will lose health coverage, necessary benefits like maternity care will become optional, and protections for individuals living with pre-existing conditions will be scrapped. This is a plan to destroy America’s healthcare, not fix it.”

Congressional Republicans forced today’s vote before the Congressional Budget Office could evaluate the effects of last-minute changes to the legislation, which would allow states to waive the essential health benefits requirement and remove protections for people with preexisting conditions, which can be anything from diabetes to cancer.  These changes could also allow employers to impose lifetime limits and eliminate the out-of-pocket cost cap for the 159 million Americans who are insured through their job.

In March, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a score detailing projected impacts of an earlier version of Trumpcare. The score found that under Trumpcare, 24 million fewer Americans would have health insurance over the next decade, average health care premiums would rise by 15-20 percent over the next two years and critical federal healthcare funding to states would be cut by $880 billion. In addition, reports from the Joint Committee on Taxation show that Trumpcare will also cut billions in taxes – primarily for millionaires and billionaires.

Key provisions of Trumpcare include gutting the Medicaid program, repealing the individual mandate, doing away with 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 the Affordable Care Act.  This legislation also reduces health care quality by allowing states to choose whether or not to keep the essential health benefits requirement, which would allow insurance companies to stop providing 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.

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