What Repealing the Affordable Care Act Will Cost Families, Seniors, Small Businesses, States…

This week, Republicans in the House of Representatives unveiled a bill that will repeal the Affordable Care Act and take us back to the days when insurance companies controlled the health care people could receive.  This doesn’t come as a surprise, as Republican leaders have been threatening repeal since President Obama signed the reforms into law on March 23, 2010.  But what is surprising is how carelessly they are disregarding the consequences of taking away the new freedoms, control over health care decisions, and the cost savings the law provides the American people, including 

• Unprecedented accountability and transparency in the insurance market;
• Reduced prescription drug costs for seniors; tax credits for small businesses to defray the costs of employee coverage;
• Protection against double-digit premium increases; preventive care without cost sharing; support for working class families by providing them tax credits to help pay for coverage;
• Improved quality health insurance coverage for all Americans by creating competitive new state based health insurance marketplaces called Exchanges; and
• Affordable, quality health coverage for all Americans regardless of their age and gender, or if they have a pre-existing condition.

Taking away these freedoms from the American people by repealing the law will put insurance companies back in control of health care—leaving Americans once again to worry about:

• Losing their insurance, or having it canceled unexpectedly if they are in an accident or become sick;
• Insurance companies raising premiums by double-digits with no recourse or accountability;
• Insurance companies denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions; and
• Limiting the amount of care people can receive, even if they need it.   

In addition, repealing the law will add more than a trillion dollars to the deficit—money we don’t have and debt that will be forced onto future generations of Americans.  And without the additional support that the law provides states, it will be that much more difficult for them to provide their residents with affordable coverage options.

Today, the Secretary Sebelius released an op-ed outlining the devastating impact repeal will have on the American people and the Department of Health and Human Services released state-by-state reports to show just how devastating repealing the law will be. 

• Read Secretary Sebelius’ op-ed.
   
• See how many residents will be affected by the repeal of the Affordable Care Act in your state. 

Stephanie Cutter is Assistant to the President for Special Projects.