Healthcare

Time and again, Senate Republicans demanded an analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office before they would vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act. This analysis let the Senators know about how much people’s premiums and costs would increase and how many people would lose coverage.

Now, as they rush a partisan, secretly drafted health care repeal bill to a vote, Senate Republicans don’t seem to care. They don’t want to know the truth about how much their constituents’ health care costs will go up or how many will lose coverage. Senator Lindsey Graham put it best himself when he said that a bill without a CBO score “needs to be viewed with suspicion.”

See the history for yourself.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “Any Bill…Not Scored? Needs To Be Viewed With Suspicion.” “‘Like y’all, I’m still waiting to see if it’s a boy or a girl,’ said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). ‘Any bill that has been posted less than 24 hours, going to be debated three or four hours, not scored? Needs to be viewed with suspicion.’” [Politico, 5/5/17]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “We Like The CBO When They Agree With Us…When They Don’t, They’re A Bunch Of Losers.” “Graham, however, argued that his GOP colleagues should spending time reviewing and trying to address the the budget office’s findings. ‘We like the CBO when they agree with us,’ the South Carolina senator told reporters. ‘When they don’t, they’re a bunch of losers.’” [The Hill, 3/13/17]

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) Called For A CBO Score, Wants To See How Many People Lose Coverage, How Much Is Added To The Debt. [Steven Dennis Tweet, 3/6/17]

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI): Calls For CBO Score As The Starting Point For Debate, “We Need Better Information At The Start Of The Process.” “Johnson said he’s not asking for the discussions to go on for months, but ‘let’s take a couple of weeks and be thoughtful. Give me a chance to make the case to improve it.’ He did say he’ll vote no this week on a measure to move the bill forward, as he believes it’s too early to make that decision. ‘This is such an alternative universe,’ said Johnson. ‘We’ve gotten through the process until we get the CBO score, at the end of the process. We need better information at the start of the process.’” [Newsmax, 6/27/17]

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): “I Think We Need To Do The Job Right, And We Certainly Need A CBO Analysis.” “‘I think we need to do the job right, and we certainly need a CBO analysis,’ she said on Thursday afternoon. ‘Part of the problem is we don’t have a CBO analysis of the impact of the bill, so I don’t know what it is for coverage and cost sharing and the individual insurance markets. There are so many unanswered questions.’” [Vox, 5/4/17]

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): On CBO Not Having A Score In Time For GCHJ, “That’s Problematic.” “Sen. Susan Collins said she is upset that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office won’t have enough time to fully review a last-minute bill to overhaul Obamacare. The Maine Republican has not taken a position on the bill co-sponsored by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. However, she said she was concerned that CBO said that it won’t be able to determine how the bill would affect insurer coverage and premiums by early next week. ‘That’s problematic because that is part of the problem of short-circuiting the process,’ she told reporters Monday.” [Washington Examiner, 9/18/17]

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL): If Senator Mitch McConnell Does Not Honor Normal Senate Processes And Traditions, “They Won’t Have The Votes In The Senate.” “There was also a creeping concern about how quickly the bill was moving. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, essentially promised to move the bill to the Senate floor without the hearings and other processes that are normal for such a far-reaching piece of legislation. He had promised when Republicans took the majority that they would honor normal Senate processes and traditions. ‘I think if that’s the approach they take,’ Mr. Rubio said, ‘they won’t have the votes in the Senate.’” [New York Times, 3/8/17]

Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND): “I…Want To See The CBO Score And Additional Analysis Of The Legislation.” “As I’ve said all along, our overall goal for health care reform legislation is to provide Americans with access to patient-centered health care and health insurance at an affordable rate. I did not support the Senate’s first draft. Now, I will review the new draft legislation and want to see the CBO score and additional analysis of the legislation. I will reserve judgment until we do so.” [Sen. Hoeven, Statement, 7/13/17]

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA): CBO Score “Becomes An Important Part Of The Consideration For The Final Product.” “‘I don’t think it slows it down, but it’s very important,’ Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), a member of the 13-member working group focused on health care, said about the CBO score. ‘It becomes an important part of the consideration for the final product.’” [Morning Consult, 5/10/17]

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): “The CBO Score On The Senate Bill Is Going To Be What Counts.” “Cornyn: ‘The CBO score on the Senate bill is going to be what counts.’” [Twitter, 5/24/17]

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO): “The Senate’s Going To Have To Have The Kind Of Score They Need To Move This Forward.” “‘The Senate’s going to have to have the kind of score they need to move this forward and the Senate’s going to be looking at this to see what we can do to take the House work, look at what the House did, look at what we can do to improve that in our view,’ Blunt told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” [The Hill, 5/7/17]

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ): “We’ll See When CBO Comes Back How That Scores…” “On the other side, Flake views the bill’s refundable tax credits as more taxpayer subsidies. ‘We’ll see when CBO comes back how that scores, but it’s still pretty expensive,’ Flake said, referring to the pending cost and coverage estimates by the Congressional Budget Office.” [AZ Central, 3/12/17]

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): “I Look Forward To Reviewing The Revised Senate Health Care Legislation And Forthcoming CBO Report To Determine The Impact On West Virginians.” “Any health care bill to replace Obamacare must provide access to affordable health care coverage for West Virginians, including our large Medicaid population and those struggling with drug addiction. I opposed the previous draft because it did not ensure access to affordable health care in West Virginia, did not do enough to combat the opioid epidemic that is devastating my state, cut traditional Medicaid too deeply, and harmed rural health care providers. I look forward to reviewing the revised Senate health care legislation and forthcoming CBO report to determine the impact on West Virginians but continue to have serious concerns about the Medicaid provisions.” [Sen. Capito Statement, 7/13/17]

As Republicans continue their partisan push to repeal health care, the damage their repeal would cause turns out to be even worse than the repeal bills they’ve tried in the past.

That probably explains why they refuse to wait for the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimate of how their plan would impact people’s coverage and costs.

• The Washington Post now reports, “The latest Obamacare overhaul bill gaining steam on Capitol Hill slashes health-care spending more deeply and would likely cover fewer people than a July bill that failed precisely because of such concerns.”
• Fitch Rating Agency found that this bill was “more disruptive for most states than prior Republican efforts.”
• New York Republican Representatives Peter King and Tom Reed are doubtful they’ll support the bill, despite voting for earlier health care repeal bills.
• Republican Governors from Ohio, Massachusetts and New Hampshire have come out against the plan.
• GOP Senator Rand Paul opposes it, writing in an op-ed, “In all ways, this bill is also ObamaCare Lite. In no way is it repeal the way we promised. I will oppose this bill as I did the other fake repeal bills, and I urge those who want repeal to do so, as well.“

Maybe the GOP should live up to their promise to work across-party-lines and hear from experts to make reforms that improve our health care system instead of this hyper-partisan health care repeal that is overwhelmingly opposed by most Americans.

Washington, D.C. — Today, GOP Senators Lindsey Graham, Bill Cassidy, Dean Heller and Ron Johnson introduced yet another bill to repeal the health care of the American people that would slash coverage, raise costs, eliminate protections and gut Medicaid. This desperate bill comes after three failed Senate repeal votes and a declaration from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that “it is time to move on,” and amidst the bipartisan hearings more than a dozen GOP senators have called for. The renewed partisan effort to repeal health care threatens the bipartisan efforts that began in earnest last week. In response to the GOP’s attempt to revive the least-popular piece of legislation in three decades, Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“Time and again, the American people have made explicitly clear that they do not want partisan health care repeal. The Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill is as bad or worse than the GOP’s previous efforts to repeal health care. It contains deep cuts to Medicaid, would eliminate payments to help lower out-of-pocket cost and deductibles and guts protections for people with pre-existing conditions, while disproportionately harming states that expanded Medicaid over those that did not. In short, it’s everything voters of both parties have said they don’t want.

“Attempting to jam a partisan repeal bill through the Senate at the eleventh hour is shameful and unnecessarily puts the bipartisan process underway in jeopardy for no reason. It’s time for Republicans to finally abandon their failed, partisan efforts and follow the lead of Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray to focus on making the bipartisan, common sense fixes necessary to improve health care for millions of people.”

In the time since the House passed its partisan health care repeal, the vast majority GOP senators, including Sens. Bill Cassidy, Lindsey Graham and Dean Heller, have consistently called for bipartisan health care legislation. Take a look for yourself…

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) On His Bill With Sen. Graham: “I Think We’ll Have Hearings.” [The Advocate, 9/9/17]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “Any Bill…Not Scored? Needs To Be Viewed With Suspicion.” “‘Like y’all, I’m still waiting to see if it’s a boy or a girl,’ said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). ‘Any bill that has been posted less than 24 hours, going to be debated three or four hours, not scored? Needs to be viewed with suspicion.’” [Politico, 5/5/17]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “We’re Going To Do All These Things By September 30? Give Me A Break.” “‘We’re going to do all these things by Sept. 30? Give me a break. We’re going to cut taxes, pass health care, set aside sequestration?’ said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican.” [Politico, 6/2/17]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): No Deal On Friday Signals “End Of [One-Party] Health Care Talks.” “[Graham] tells [Kasie Hunt] that if GOP doesn’t reach an agreement on health care by Friday it’ll be the end of the 1 party health care talks.” NBC News Frank Thorp Tweet, 6/28/17]

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX): “And I Think, Frankly, Bipartisan Solutions Tend To Be More Durable.” “‘There’s a lot the American people expect of us, but we’ve seen with fragile majorities in the Senate that we are forced to work together to try to solve these problems. And I think, frankly, bipartisan solutions tend to be more durable,’ Cornyn said. Democrats have sent Republicans multiple letters on healthcare that asked, for example, for an all-Senate meeting and suggested a list of rooms where they could hold a public hearing.” [The Hill, 8/1/17]

Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch (R-UT) On Moving Forward On Health Care: “I Hope It’ll Be Bipartisan.” “‘It’s a constant battle. Health care is one of the most difficult things,’ said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). ‘It has to come back before the end of the year. We have to face it.’ Hatch paused when asked if he’s referring to another party-line repeal effort. ‘Oh, I hope it’ll be bipartisan,’ he said.” [Politico, 7/31/17]

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “I Have Repeatedly Said That Healthcare Reform, And Especially Major Entitlement Reform, Should Go Through The Committee Process Where Stakeholders Can Weigh In And Ideas Can Be Vetted In A Bipartisan Forum.” “I have repeatedly said that healthcare reform, and especially major entitlement reform, should go through the committee process where stakeholders can weigh in and ideas can be vetted in a bipartisan forum. I voted ‘no’ today to give the Senate another chance to take this to the committee process.” [Murkowski Statement, 7/25/17]

• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “The Senate Should Step Back And Engage In A Bipartisan Process To Address The Failures Of The ACA And Stabilize The Individual Markets.” “As I’ve been saying, the Senate should take a step back and engage in a bipartisan process to address the failures of the ACA and stabilize the individual markets. That will require members on both sides of the aisle to roll up their sleeves and take this to the open committee process where it belongs.” [Murkowski Statement, 7/18/17]
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “This Is Not For Republicans To Fix Or Democrats To Fix — This Is For Us As Americans To Fix.” “‘This is not for Republicans to fix or Democrats to fix — this is for us as Americans to fix,’ Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said.” [MSNBC, 6/27/17]
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “We Should Be Working With Our Colleagues On The Other Side Of The Aisle.” ‘When did we get to the point where we said, ‘No, we’re not going to talk to Democrats about a fix?’ We should be working with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle,’ Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told NBC News Tuesday.” [NBC News, 6/27/17]

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): “We Must Work In A Bipartisan Way To Fix The ACA’s Serious Flaws.” “I voted no on motion to proceed. When dealing with a complex issue that affects millions of Americans and 1/6th of our economy, we must proceed carefully. Making sweeping changes to the 50-year-old Medicaid program without a single Senate hearing is a mistake. We must work in a bipartisan way to fix the ACA’s serious flaws.” [Collins Tweet, 7/25/17]

• Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): “I Want To Work W/ My GOP & Dem Colleagues To Fix The Flaws In ACA.” “I want to work w/ my GOP & Dem colleagues to fix the flaws in ACA. CBO analysis shows Senate bill won’t do it.” [Collins Tweet, 6/26/17]
• Sen. Susan Collins (R-Me): “Go Back To The Drawing Board” And Work With Democrats To “Correct” Problems In The ACA. [Bloomberg’s Sahil Kapur Tweet, 6/27/17]

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): Writing Bill Behind Closed Doors And Forcing Passage Against A Unified Opposition Is Not “Going To Work In The End. And It Probably Shouldn’t.” “We’ve tried to do this by coming up with a proposal behind closed doors in consultation with the administration, then springing it on skeptical members, trying to convince them it’s better than nothing, asking us to swallow our doubts and force it past a unified opposition. I don’t think that is going to work in the end. And it probably shouldn’t.” [Sen. McCain Remarks, 7/25/17]

• Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): Sen. McCain Calls For Return To Regular Order, Including “Input From Members Of Both Parties.” “The Congress must now return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties, and heed the recommendations of our nation’s governors so that we can produce a bill that finally provides Americans with access to quality and affordable health care.” [Sen. McCain Statement, 7/17/17]

Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV): “Republicans And Democrats Should Sit Down Together.” [Ralston Tweet, 6/27/17]

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA): “I Wish We Weren’t Doing It One Party.” “Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that he wants the healthcare bill to be negotiated with both parties. ‘I wish we weren’t doing it one party. But that said, if you can lower premiums, that is common ground,’ Cassidy said on NBC’s ‘Meet The Press.’” [The Hill, 7/2/17]

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): “Collaborating With Democrats On The Other Side, To Me, Is Not An Exercise In Futility.” “‘Collaborating with Democrats on the other side, to me, is not an exercise in futility,’ Capito said, noting that she has spoken with Manchin and other Democrats about tackling health care together. ‘That may be where we end up, and so be it.’” [Politico, 7/9/17]

• Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): “It’s Never Good To Pass Major Legislation Without The Input Of Both Parties.” “It’s hard for me to see how we get there. I think a better approach would be to try to involve some moderate Democrats in the process and see if we can come up with a bipartisan bill. It’s never good to pass major legislation without the input of both parties.” [The Hill, 6/28/17]

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI): “I Wish We Were Doing This On A Bipartisan Basis.” “‘I wish we were doing this on a bipartisan basis,’ Johnson told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day.” ‘I think it was a mistake saying right away we were going to do this partisan, that’s where we’re out. Maybe what we’re going to have to do is our partisan bill, Democrats do theirs, we’re not going to fix all of these problems. Then maybe, maybe everybody will sit down and lets long-term fix the healthcare system, let’s start controlling healthcare costs,’ the Wisconsin senator continued.” [The Hill, 6/28/17]

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA): “We’ve Got To Come Together, Republicans And Democrats And Deal With The Issues That Are Making Health Insurance So Expensive.” “The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. As said by the majority leader and the minority leader Thursday night or Friday morning, neither party did anything to fix it. We’ve still got some things that need to be done. We’ve got to come together, Republicans and Democrats and deal with the issues that are making insurance so expensive. I think we will, and I think we’ll eventually get it done.” [Isakson Interview with Marietta Journal editorial staff, 8/1/17]

Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY): “For Big Things That Affect The Country, It Should Be Done In A Bipartisan Way.” “As lawmakers in Washington remain divided over the future of health care in the United States, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, says there should be a bipartisan approach when it comes to legislation. ‘Should have been bipartisan when Obamacare was passed. It should be now as well,’ Barrasso said Sunday on ‘Face the Nation.’ ‘For big things that affect the country, it should be done in a bipartisan way,’ he added.” [CBS Face the Nation, 7/23/17]

Now Republicans Must Stop Trump’s Sabotage by Ensuring Cost Sharing Reduction Payments Are Made or Hold the Bag for Skyrocketing Premiums

Before it has even been introduced, the latest desperate attempt at health care repeal from Republicans is dead on arrival according to Republican Senators. The repeal proposal from Senators Graham, Cassidy and Heller was the most vicious bill yet and can’t seem to get the support from members of their own party. Sen. Hatch gave the possibility of a vote on the bill a firm, “No” on Monday. Sen. Rand Paul said the bill “sounds to me like a bad idea.” The bill proposes the same deeply unpopular provisions of previous repeal bills, including deep cuts to Medicaid, ending federal funding for Medicaid Expansion states, eliminating payments to help lower out-of-pocket costs and deductibles for lower-income individuals, and increasing out-of-pocket costs for people with pre-existing conditions. The bill would also disproportionately hurt states that expanded Medicaid over states that did not.

“The now dead Graham-Cassidy-Heller bill would have been the worst of all the partisan health care bills Senate Republicans have pursued to date — worse even than those that were already soundly rejected by the American people,” said Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse. “Now is the time for Republicans to finally abandon these failed, partisan repeal efforts and work toward bipartisan solutions to improve health care like immediately making good on the cost-sharing reduction payments to prevent premiums from skyrocketing for Americans by twenty percent and provide much-needed certainty to the health care market. If Republicans don’t quickly stand up to Trump’s sabotage and ensure these payments are made, they will be to blame when the premiums rise, coverage lapses occur and the debt explodes by $200 billion.”