Sen. Tester Slams Bill That Increases Premiums, Kicks Millions Off Insurance

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The office of Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., issued the following news release:

U.S. Senator Jon Tester released the following statement after the independent, non-partisan Congressional Budget Office revealed that the House of Representatives' replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would force 24 million Americans to lose health insurance and cause premiums to rise up to 20 percent:

"This reckless effort will kick folks off of their health care plan, increase premiums for Montana families, and saddle our children with more debt. Rather than dismantle the progress we have made and go back to the old health care system where people couldn't afford to get sick, I want to work with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to improve the Affordable Care Act and increase access and affordability to health care for all Montanans."

The House bill cuts $880 billion from Medicaid and phases out Medicaid expansion, which is securing health care for over 71,000 hardworking Montanans.

The Congressional Budget Office's report on the House of Representatives' ACA replacement plan is available HERE (https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/costestimate/americanhealthcareact.pdf).

Please click on the following links for in-depth reporting on how the House of Representatives' ACA replacement plan will negatively impact overall access to care, rural communities, older Montanans, women, low-income Montanans, addiction treatment, and public health and widespread disease.

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