Congressman Sires’ Statement on the Crushing Costs of the Graham-Cassidy Trumpcare Bill to New Jersey

(Washington, D.C.)- Today, Congressman Sires released the following statement opposing the latest Republican proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act:

“Earlier this summer the American people were loud and clear when they rejected Republican proposals that would increase health care costs and gut coverage for millions of people.  Instead of working with Democrats to improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Republicans are yet again attempting to jam through Congress another Trumpcare plan that would having devastating impacts across the country.

Specifically, the Graham-Cassidy bill would rip away the promise of affordable quality health care in America by repealing Medicaid expansion, premium tax credits, and insurance subsidies.  Instead block grants would be provided to states to use at their discretion on a broad array of health care options.  Funding would be redistributed in such a way that it would actually punish states that expanded coverage under the ACA through Medicaid expansion and marketplace enrollmentand reward states that outright rejected any ACA guidance to expand health care coverage.

According to a recent report by Avalere Health, New Jersey would be one of 34 states that would see dramatic cuts to federal funding under the Graham-Cassidy bill.  The report predicts that New Jersey could lose up to $10 billion under the first six years of the plan.  Without the additional federal funding, an estimated900,000 New Jerseyans could be at risk of losing their health insurance.

Perhaps cruelest of all, the Graham-Cassidy bill would once again restrict coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions by allowing states to apply for waivers to limit coverage.

Rather than continuing to champion proposals that would deliver devastation to millions of Americans, Republicans should be working with Democrats on productive, bipartisan solutions to stabilize the insurance marketplaces and drive down costs for families.”