[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 4408]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  WHAT CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE SAYS ABOUT AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Courtney) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, after 7 years of railing against the 
Affordable Care Act, a little less than 2 weeks ago we finally got an 
opportunity to see what the Republican repeal-and-replace plan actually 
looks like.
  President Trump described it on March 7, again, a little less than 2 
weeks ago, as our wonderful new healthcare bill.
  The new Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price, solemnly 
promised that no one will be worse off financially as part of this bill 
known as the American Health Care Act.
  Well, Mr. Speaker, as President John Adams once said a long time ago, 
facts are stubborn things; and over the last 2 weeks, we have had an 
opportunity to see what the Congressional Budget Office says about the 
American Health Care Act. Again, this is the neutral body that advises 
the Congress and the Nation with budgetary analysis both in terms of 
taxes and spending and also in terms of healthcare coverage.
  What it has told us is that 24 million Americans will lose their 
health coverage between now and 2024. In fact, it will go up by 14 
million just in the first couple of years under this bill, which, 
again, after 7 years, we never got a chance to see it, but now we are 
finally getting that opportunity.
  Mr. Speaker, sometimes it is a little sort of too much to talk about 
these large numbers and top-line numbers. What I want to share with you 
and my colleagues and also anyone watching this speech is that the 
Kaiser Family Foundation, which is, again, one of the most respected 
healthcare, nonprofit, educational institutions in our country, has 
produced an interactive website which basically gives any American the 
opportunity to scroll across a map of America, find the county where 
you live, punch in what their income level and age is, and then compare 
the existing law with the American Health Care Act. Again, that website 
is kff.org/interactive/tax-credits. Again, kff.org.
  I had an opportunity to use that website for my district in eastern 
Connecticut, a district I proudly represent, the home of the UConn 
Women Huskies and the home of the Groton submarine base, the oldest 
submarine base in America. What it showed is that, for people living in 
New London County, in Windham County, in Tolland County, in Middlesex 
County, if you are 60 years old and you are making $50,000 a year, you 
lose $3,230--in terms of premium tax credits compared to existing law--
in the proposal which, again, was finally unveiled 2 weeks ago.
  If you make only $30,000 a year and you are 60 years old, you lose 
$5,850, a 59 percent reduction in terms of your income assistance to 
buy health coverage. Again, the prior number was 45 percent.
  Unlike what Mr. Price said, this, in fact, is much worse off 
financially for people in those age groups and where they live. It is 
far worse off financially in terms of where they stand. In fact, it 
makes it impossible for people to afford health insurance.
  That is why the Congressional Budget Office, looking at that kind of 
data, has made the conclusion that, if we pass this bill--and the vote 
is scheduled on Thursday--we will see, again, millions of Americans who 
will basically be priced out of the opportunity to buy health 
insurance.
  And when you are 60 years old--as someone who is 63, I can tell you--
that is not a good place to be in terms of your health status and the 
risk that you carry when you get older in life in terms of the need to 
be able to access healthcare coverage.
  Mr. Speaker, it is that reason why, when you look at what the 
stakeholders that deliver health care in America--the American Nurses 
Association, the American Hospital Association, the AARP, and, finally, 
the American Medical Association--who have looked at this bill over the 
last 2 weeks, they have universally pleaded with Congress to block this 
measure, to slow down the rush to judgment which is going to deprive 
people of one of the most elemental, basic needs that all of us share.
  We are not immortal. We are not immune to getting illness and 
disease. It is something that affects every single American.
  To pass a bill which will wreak that kind of havoc, again, is 
irresponsible and takes this country in the absolute wrong direction.
  So, again, I would plead with Members and I would ask anybody 
watching this speech, go to the Kaiser Foundation website, find where 
you live, think about your uncle or your children or people that you 
know in your neighborhood, and really plug in that data and information 
and think about what, in fact, we are being told is, in fact, a 
wonderful healthcare bill and something that won't hurt people and 
won't make them worse off financially. Again, the opposite is true. CBO 
is telling us this, the doctors are telling us this, the nurses are 
telling us this, the hospitals are telling us this, those who advocate 
for older Americans are telling us this.
  Again, it is not too late. This vote is coming up on Thursday. It is 
time to listen to the people who are closest to the system and stop 
this rush to harming millions of Americans.

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