Rep. Torres Issues Statement on CBO Report on GOP Healthcare Plan

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., issued the following statement in response to the release of a report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office on the House Republican healthcare bill:

"CBO has reaffirmed what we already knew, the House Republican healthcare plan will rip health coverage from millions of Americans while gutting Medicaid and giving unnecessary tax breaks and giveaways to insurance companies and the wealthy. Just as I feared, the GOP plan will result in 14 million people losing health insurance coverage next year with 24 million losing coverage by 2026, and it will put the healthcare of the 327,000 people in the 35th District who rely on Medi-Cal in jeopardy by ending the Medicaid expansion and moving funding to a block grant system.

"This legislation will take billions out of Medicare and will lead to higher premiums for older Americans and fewer protections for consumers. I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find solutions that increase access to care and lower costs for working families, but it is clear this plan does neither.

"It's time for the President and congressional Republicans to stop trying to ram this irresponsible plan through Congress and work with Democrats to actually fix the problems in our healthcare system."

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