Senate Republicans Voting to Kick Millions Off Of Health Coverage

Office of the Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer

July 25, 2017

Senate Republicans Voting to Kick Millions Off Of Health Coverage

Today, Senate Republicans will vote on the motion to proceed to begin debate on health care legislation. Yet no one knows what exactly they will ultimately be voting on. Senators - and the public - don't know if they'll be voting on one of the versions of TrumpCare or to repeal the Affordable Care Act without replacing it. Senate Republicans acknowledge that they have been left in the dark:

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI): "I don't have a clue what we're going to be voting on." [Twitter, 7/24/17]

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): "I would like to know more as I'm sure all of you would, too." [Twitter, 7/24/17]

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): "It appears we'll have a vote on Tuesday but we don't know whether we'll be voting on the House bill, the first version of the Senate bill, the second version of the Senate bill..." [CBS, 7/23/17]

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN): "It's feeling like a bazaar, like.... we're throwing money in a lot of different directions but potentially not moving in a place that's coherent..." [Wall Street Journal, 7/23/17]

Senator John Cornyn, (R-TX): He said knowing what the Republican health care bill will be before a procedural vote is a "luxury we don't have." [The Hill, 7/20/17]

Senator John Thune (R-SD): "It's a judgment call the leader will make at some point..." [The Hill, 7/20/17]

Regardless of what bill Leader McConnell brings to the Floor, every single version would result in millions of Americans losing coverage, increased premiums and out-of-pocket costs for American families, an age tax imposed on older Americans, and discrimination against those with pre-existing conditions. Take a look at the harmful consequences of each bill that Republicans could possibly be voting for:

TrumpCare Bill

(CBO score on March 9, 2017)

House-Passed TrumpCare

(CBO score on May 4, 2017)

Senate TrumpCare

(CBO score on June 26, 2017)

Repeal ACA Without a Replacement

(CBO score on July 19, 2017)

Latest Senate TrumpCare

(CBO score on July 20, 2017)

Americans Losing Coverage Next Year

14 million

14 million

15 million

18 million

15 million

Coverage Losses in 2026

24 million

23 million

22 million

32 million

22 million

Americans Cut From Medicaid by 2026

14 million

14 million

15 million

19 million

15 million

Premium Increase in First Year

20%

20%

20%

25%

(100% by 2026)

20%

Medicaid Cuts

$880 billion

$834 billion

$772 billion

$842 billion

$772 billion

Tax Breaks for Wealthy

$544 billion

$664 billion

$541 billion

$613 billion

$364 billion

Republican Senators have said that the American people deserve a bipartisan, open, transparent process on health care:

Senator Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV): "I don't think that it's a responsible way to repeal something, have everything fall off a cliff... and have no plan in front of us... I don't think the US Congress does too well with deadlines. I don't think that's when good policy comes forward.... We've been all over the board on this." [Vox, 7/24/17]

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): "As I've been saying, the Senate should take a step back and engage in a bipartisan process to address the failures of the ACA and stabilize the individual markets. That will require members on both sides of the aisle to roll up their sleeves and take this to the open committee process where it belongs." [Statement, 7/18/17]

Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS): "We must now start fresh with an open legislative process to develop innovative solutions that provide greater personal choice, protections for pre-existing conditions, increased access and lower overall costs for Kansans." [Statement, 7/17/17]

Senator John McCain (R-AZ): "The Congress must now return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties, and heed the recommendations of our nation's governors so that we can produce a bill that finally provides Americans with access to quality and affordable health care." [Statement, 7/17/17]

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): "The solution, Collins said, is to tackle health care through 'the normal process of committee hearings, expert witnesses, and writing a bill with bipartisan support.'" [ABC News, 7/16/17]

No matter what bill Republicans bring to the Floor, it's clear they are putting at risk millions of Americans' health coverage. Democrats continue to urge them to abandon repeal and work with Democrats to improve the Affordable Care Act through an open, transparent, and bipartisan process that improves health care for all Americans.