Rep. Doyle Issues Statement on Congressional Budget Office Analysis

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Michael F. Doyle, D-Pa., issued the following statement in response to the public release of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of the "Better Care Reconciliation Act," Senate Republicans' legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act:

"The CBO's analysis of the Senate GOP's so-called "Better Care Reconciliation Act" confirms what we all suspected - this legislation would cut taxes for corporations and the wealthy by $700 billion, and would cut health care for low- and middle-income households to pay for it. It's not much different that the American Health Care Act passed by House Republicans last month. This bill would affect ALL Americans - not just those on Medicaid and in the ACA health insurance exchanges.

"CBO estimates that more than 22 million Americans would lose health care coverage under this bill - and that millions of others would end up paying more for insurance that covers less.

"Once again, we could all be at the mercy of insurance companies and their abusive practices that the Affordable Care Act prohibited - like annual and lifetime benefit caps and discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions.

"Once again, Americans could go broke paying for things like mental health care, maternity care, and prescription drugs.

"It's obvious that this bill was drafted with the goal of cutting taxes for corporations and the wealthy, not improving health care for most Americans. Senator McConnell ought to throw this bill in the trash and start over - this time with an open and transparent bipartisan process and the goal of improving and strengthening the existing Affordable Care Act. That's something I have always stood ready to do."