12.20.2018 / Press Release

Republicans in Congress Pass Tax Bill that Will Destabilize Health Insurance and Sets the Stage to Dismantle Federal Support for Working Families and the Elderly

Republicans in Congress Pass Tax Bill that Will Destabilize Health Insurance and Sets the Stage to Dismantle Federal Support for Working Families and the Elderly

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Republican-led Congress passed their tax bill on a strictly partisan basis. This bill includes health care provisions that were opposed by health care providers, consumer organizations, and insurers because the policies would increase the number of uninsured by millions and destabilize private health insurance. The bill also increases the federal deficit by over $1 trillion and is a clear prelude to slash funding in 2018 for programs that are critical to working families and the elderly like Medicare, Medicaid and social services.

Following is the statement from Frederick Isasi, executive director of Families USA:

“This tax bill is Republicans’ opening shot in an effort to dismantle our nation’s social programs. Instead of helping the millions of American families whose economic welfare is threatened by chronic health problems or the rising costs of health care, Republicans just passed a bill that will increase the cost of health insurance, threatens coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, and causes millions of Americans to lose coverage. Many lives are newly at risk today because of this dangerous legislation.

“With this harmful legislation, Republicans are walking away from a vision of government that ensures basic health coverage, part of a broader opposition to basic protections that ought to be part of any decent society. Our nation’s families deserve the opportunity to work hard and not live in fear that a health care problem could hurt or kill their loved ones and devastate their finances. Republican leadership has walked away from our nation’s families; this has happened today in the most prosperous country in the world.

“Blowing an enormous hole in the deficit to further enrich our nation’s wealthiest individuals and corporations, Republican leaders in Congress have been open about how they see this as the first step to sharp cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and critical social programs. Next comes their handwringing over America’s huge deficit and the same purported ‘fiscal hawks’ – who just voted to increase the deficit by over $1 trillion dollars – will call for massive health care cuts and cuts to social programs for our seniors, people with disabilities, and hard-working families.

“We and numerous others have predicted the devastating damage this GOP tax bill will cause, and we will be tracking its disturbing fallout closely. Over the next few years, as people experience rising health insurance premiums and a growing number of counties without insurers offering individual market plans, Americans must remember who took their health insurance away.”

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Families USA, a leading national voice for health care consumers, is dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.