Malloy: GOP Health Care Bill Costs Connecticut Nearly $7 Billion Through 2026

Sept. 23--Republicans' last-ditch effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act would cost Connecticut nearly $7 billion in federal funds through 2026, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's budget office concluded Friday.

The new analysis came as Senate Republicans learned Sen. John McCain would not support the latest effort to overturn Obamacare, potentially dooming the legislation before a vote planned for next week.

In a written statement, Malloy said the legislation "eviscerates Medicaid and essentially ends the program as we know it" by shifting it to a block grant format. The move disproportionally impacts states like Connecticut that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. About 200,000 people in the state gained coverage through Medicaid expansion.

By 2026, the Republican proposal anticipates each state receiving the same amount of Medicaid funding on a per-person basis, which would adversely affect Connecticut, a state with higher costs and more generous benefits, according to the analysis by the state Office of Policy and Management.

"The proponents of the bill claim enhanced 'flexibility' provided by the block grant will allow states to support Medicaid expansion costs or cost-sharing assistance," analysts wrote. "However, for Connecticut, significantly lower funding levels would require a reduction in Medicaid services or eligibility or significantly reduced premium support -- all resulting in dramatic numbers of individuals losing coverage or having their coverage reduced."

Opposition to the Republican bill has been growing, even as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he wanted to bring it to the floor for a vote. Republicans face a Sept. 30 deadline to repeal the Affordable Care Act with 50 votes through the reconciliation process.

In a letter to Senate leaders this week, American's Health Insurance Plans, which counts Bloomfield-based Cigna Corp. among its members, came out against the plan being pushed by Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy. They were joined in opposition by Medicaid directors from all 50 states.

"It's a really historic coalition of opposition combining insurance companies, hospitals, doctors, patient advocates, community grass-roots organizations, the list goes on," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal. "The momentum is on our side, but clearly the measure is still an urgent real threat so the level of energy and passion needs to continue."

Blumenthal said the failure of Graham-Cassidy may reopen the door for bipartisan negotiations that were underway in the Senate's health committee.

Sen. Chris Murphy, a member of the health committee, said McCain's "no" vote is important, "but don't underestimate what Republicans will do in desperate straits." He noted reports that Republicans were seeking to amend the bill with state-specific provisions.

"This is far from over, there is only one true hard 'no' ... we still have a lot of work to do," he said.

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