Latest estimates on GOP health bill concerns health leader in midstate
Photo by AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File
In this March 21, 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump, followed by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, leaves Capitol Hill.
(Harrisburg) — A nonpartisan federal agency says the Senate GOP’s health care plan would increase the number of uninsured in the US by 22 million by 2026.
The Congressional Budget Office says the bulk of the cuts come from Medicaid – an estimated $772 billion over the next decade.
Many of the 24,000 patients at Family First Health in York are enrolled in the program, which leaves CEO Jenny Englerth concerned.
She says simply cutting Medicaid spending won’t actually save money overall.
“We are just pushing those costs downstream. We’re pushing those costs and impact of that to my children. And you know, maybe they’ll be smarter than I’ve been able to be in figuring it out but the costs will exist,” says Englerth.
Englerth says Medicaid needs transformation, but some of it is already underway through the Affordable Care Act.
And she adds that the Senate GOP’s proposed cuts wouldn’t allow for innovation.
“To cut funding dramatically at a point when we haven’t completed transformation efforts, from my perspective is a recipe for disaster,” she adds.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if the bill becomes law, enrollment in Medicaid would fall 16 percent by 2026.
About 1 in 5 Pennsylvanians are covered by Medicaid, with more than half of those enrolled either children or people with disabilities.
US Sen. Bob Casey out with statement on CBO report on the GOP health care bill. Leads with “Obscene. Unconscionable.” pic.twitter.com/dMeuqxm7lP
— Ben Allen (@BenAllenWITF) June 26, 2017
Pennsylvania’s senior US Senator Democrat Bob Casey, on the news of the CBO estimates, called the GOP plan obscene and unconscionable.
On CBS, @SenToomey claims that GOP bill will “make permanent” the Medicaid expansion and “no one loses coverage.” pic.twitter.com/fqsPMtsbmA
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) June 25, 2017
In an apperance on the Sunday talk show “Face the Nation”, Pennsylvania US Senator Republican Pat Toomey denied that anyone would lose coverage under the GOP health plan that he helped craft.
The CBO report directly contradicts his statement.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
