“Today’s outline of a proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) released by House Republicans is simply a rehash of the same proposals we’ve seen floated for nearly seven years. These proposals fail to offer a clear path to ensuring people in this country have access to quality and affordable coverage and care. In fact, the House Republicans’ proposals do the exact opposite by shifting the cost burden of health care to consumers, stripping away key protections in the ACA and severely undermining Medicaid, making it harder for the people most in need to access health care.
This so-called ‘replacement plan’ raises more questions than it answers on the critical elements that will impact the health and economic security of women and families.
Based on what was released today, here’s what we do know: We know that capping Medicaid is not a real solution – it shifts costs from the federal government to states, putting low-income women and families at risk of losing their health coverage. We know that the proposed refundable tax credit does not take into account a person’s income level – only their age. That means that millions of women living paycheck to paycheck would likely find that their health coverage has become more expensive, not less.
Here’s what we don’t know: Will women still be able to afford comprehensive health coverage? Will women still have access to affordable maternity coverage? Will women still have access to preventive care, like birth control, without cost-sharing? And, will insurance companies once again be allowed to charge women more than men?
Today’s ‘proposal’ is short on substance. In fact, the only place House Republicans did offer specifics was in making it nearly impossible for millions of women to purchase a health plan that covers abortion care. Women deserve better.
Put simply, this ‘proposal’ doesn’t maintain coverage or affordability of care, which is essential to the strength of our nation’s families and economy.”