- EVERY INDEPENDENT ANALYST AGREES: MASSIVE FUNDING CUTS FOR STATES. Avalere’s new analysis shows that every state will face deep cuts — more than $4 trillion over the next two decades because of Medicaid cuts and eliminating Medicaid expansion and tax credits for the ACA marketplaces to make coverage more affordable.
- 32 MILLION LOSE COVERAGE NATIONWIDE, WITH A STATE BREAKDOWN. Multiple analyses show that 32 million people will lose coverage under Graham-Cassidy, including an analysis by the Center for American Progress that has a state breakdown.
- THE BIGGEST LOSERS? CHILDREN AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. As the Avalere report noted, Graham-Cassidy would cut funding for people with disabilities by 15-percent and 31-percent for children by 2036.
- CASSIDY FAILS THE LIE DETECTOR TEST. In his monologue last night, Jimmy Kimmel called out Sen. Bill Cassidy for claiming the bill would protect pre-existing conditions and lower costs, accosting Sen. Cassidy for lying. “Not only did it fail the ‘Jimmy Kimmel test,’” Kimmel said, “It failed the ‘Bill Cassidy test.’”
- THE GOP SABOTAGED BIPARTISAN NEGOTIATIONS. Politico reported yesterday that under guidance from the White House and Paul Ryan, the GOP ended the bipartisan talks many members of its caucus had spent months calling for, and despite many Democratic concessions, including on copper plans and waiver authority.
- GOP GOVERNORS COME OUT AGAINST THE BILL IN FULL FORCE. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie came out against the bill, joining Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and the five governors who signed a bipartisan letter to Senate leadership urging them to reject the bill: Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott and independent Alaska Gov. Bill Walker.
- THE SENATE’S RUSH TO VOTE IS THE OPPOSITE OF REGULAR ORDER.
8. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE BILL PASSES? CHAOS. Under Graham-Cassidy, all states would be left to their own devices, with significantly less money in the short term, to set up individual exchanges. In 2026, the money would completely run out — leading to chaos across the country, and leaving Americans feeling the burden.
9. GOP SENATORS ADMIT THEY DON’T KNOW OR CARE WHAT THEY’RE VOTING ON. Vox asked nine GOP senators — Pat Roberts, Jim Inhofe, Ted Cruz, John Kennedy, Richard Shelby, Johnny Isakson, John Barrasso, Luther Strange and Chuck Grassley — what Graham-Cassidy does, and none could give a good answer, all but admitting they don’t have a good grasp of what they’re voting on, nor do they care. When asked what in the bill will control costs and encourage innovation, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy said, “Well, you need to read the bill.”
10. THE BILL PUNISHES STATES THAT HELP THEIR CITIZENS AND REWARDS THOSE WHO HARMED THEM. The sponsors of the bill are quick to point out that money will be redistributed under their legislation, arguing it is “unfair” some states currently receive more money than others. They fail to point out the states they cite as receiving more money, like Texas and Florida, could receive federal money to insure their residents if they simply chose to expand Medicaid. Meanwhile, states with GOP governors who expanded Medicaid like Nevada, Ohio and Arizona, helping millions receive insurance, would be punished for no reason other than vengeance.
11. PEOPLE WON’T BE ABLE TO GET TAX CREDITS IN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK OR OREGON. Graham-Cassidy would make it illegal starting in 2018 for health plans on the ACA marketplaces to offer plans that cover abortion. For a state like New York that requires all plans to cover medically necessary abortions, this means that no one would be able to get tax credits to lower their monthly premiums.
12. WOMEN WILL FACE HIGHER COSTS AND LOSE ACCESS TO CARE. Graham-Cassidy would gut Medicaid, which one in five women of reproductive age use for overage; end provisions that helped lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs for 9 million women; and defund Planned Parenthood.
Stories of Note
Washington Post: Another execrable health-care bill proves bad ideas never die
Bloomberg: GOP Health Bill Would End Guarantee That Sick People Won’t Pay More
Huffington Post: The Sponsors Of Obamacare Repeal Are Trying To Fool America — And Fellow Republicans
Politico: Kimmel, not Cassidy, is right on health care, analysts say
AZ Central: Ducey dumps 400,000 Arizonans…maybe more
Kansas City Star: Cassidy-Graham is like previous Affordable Care Act repeal bills. It will hurt Kansans.
West Virginia Register-Herald: Cassidy-Graham health care bill could cut state’s Medicaid funding by $2 billion