BROWN OPPOSES EFFORT TO DISGUISE HEALTHCARE REPEAL AND MEDICARE CUTS AS TAX BILL

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017

Contact: Jenny Donohue /Rachel Petri 202-224-3978

BROWN OPPOSES EFFORT TO DISGUISE HEALTHCARE REPEAL AND MEDICARE CUTS AS TAX BILL

Congressional Budget Office Says Senate Tax Bill Would Kick 13 Million off Healthcare, Raise Premiums 10 Percent and Force $25 Billion Cut to Medicare

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) voted against so-called tax legislation in the Senate Finance Committee tonight that would actually dismantle the Affordable Care Act and force cuts to Medicare. Throughout the course of the committee consideration of this bill, Brown offered multiple amendments to try and cut taxes for working people in Ohio, prevent jobs from being sent overseas and protect the healthcare of Ohioans. All of those amendments were blocked by Republicans on the committee.

"Instead of cutting taxes for working people in Ohio, this bill takes away their healthcare, raises their premiums and forces deep cuts to the Medicare program they've paid into for years. Why" All to pay for tax cuts for corporations that send American jobs overseas," Brown said.

The Congressional Budget Office confirmed this week that the Senate bill would:

* Cause 13 million people to lose their insurance;

* Raise health insurance premiums by about 10 percent each year;

* Take $338 billion that currently goes toward helping working families afford their health insurance to help pay for tax cuts for corporations; and

* Force a $25 billion cut to Medicare.

Learn more about how the bill dismantles the Affordable Care Act to pay for tax cuts for corporations at: https://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-dont-take-healthcare-away-from-ohioans-to-pay-for-tax-cuts-to-corps-that-outsource-jobs. Learn more about how the bill forces $25 billion in cuts to Medicare at: http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2017/11/medicareandotherspendingcu.html.