Mike Thompson demands GOP abandon ObamaCare repeal

March 15--In response to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office release of its official score of the Republicans' ObamaCare repeal, Rep. Mike Thompson demands they abandon the attempt, his office announced.

According to the CBO analysis, 24 million Americans could lose their health insurance by 2026 if the Republicans push forward with the repeal. Thompson, a Democrat who represents California's 5th Congressional District, released the following statement about the Affordable Care Act:

"The President and Republican leadership would rip healthcare away from hardworking families and seniors in order to give tax cuts to billionaires and big corporations," he said. "It's extremely telling that the very first section in their bill does not address rising out-of-pocket costs, access to doctors, or any of the challenges real Americans face. Instead, it gives a big tax cut to insurance companies that pay their executives multimillion dollar salaries."

Thompson said the CBO's report makes it clear that gutting the country's current healthcare system won't bring prices down or help more Americans afford insurance.

"Instead, it will snatch coverage away from those who need it the most," he said. "More Americans will be forced to go without healthcare -- or rely on emergency services in a time of crisis. If they can't afford the bills, American taxpayers will have to pick up the costs -- all so big businesses can get tax cuts on their bonuses. This isn't healthcare. It's wealth care."

According to the CBO, 14 million would lose their health coverage in the next year under the GOP's repeal, Thompson said, adding that number would rise to 21 million in 2020 and 24 million by 2026. The full CBO report can be found online here: https://mikethompson.house.gov/sites/mikethompson.house.gov/files/CBOAmericanHealthCareAct.pdf.

___

(c)2017 Times-Herald (Vallejo, Calif.)

Visit Times-Herald (Vallejo, Calif.) at www.timesheraldonline.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.