Graham-cassidy health care bill revives age tax

For example, in Maine, under the ACA, a 60-year-old earning $25,000 a year would pay an average of $1,608 a year in health insurance premiums in 2020. Under Graham-Cassidy, that same

60-year-old could see that premium increase by as much as $10,404. A 60-year-old in Alaska could see his or her premium increase by $26,986 in 2020. “The Graham-Cassidy bill is a last-ditch

effort to ram a bad bill, developed behind closed doors, through Congress,” said David Certner, AARP legislative policy director for government affairs. “Like earlier bills, it would

increase health care costs by including an age tax, reducing coverage and undermining protections for people living with conditions like cancer or diabetes.” The bill also would

fundamentally change the Medicaid program, which has been a safety net for millions of poor Americans and people with disabilities. Currently, 17.4 million older Americans and people with

disabilities rely on Medicaid. Over 20 years, Graham-Cassidy would slash Medicaid funding by $1.2 trillion to $3.2 trillion, turning control of the program to the states and shifting costs

over time to states and Medicaid enrollees. The bill also would end the ACA’s Medicaid expansion and instead send lump sum payments to the states from 2020 to 2026. But these payments

wouldn’t make up for the elimination of tax credits, cost-sharing payments and money the states got to expand Medicaid. And, in 2027, federal Medicaid funds would be eliminated, leaving

states on their own. That would mean states would have to decide how to make up for that financial shortfall, probably by eliminating services, reducing eligibility for benefits or cutting

payments to doctors and hospitals — something that would likely result in fewer providers being willing to see Medicaid patients. It also means that states would likely be forced to cut

services that many older Americans rely on for long-term care, including home- and community-based services and nursing home care. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said he will

bring the Graham-Cassidy bill to the floor for a vote only if he knows he has 50 votes. If Republicans get 50 votes, then Vice President Mike Pence would cast the tie-breaking yes vote. As

of Wednesday, the bill sponsors said they were close to reaching that threshold, and the majority leader announced he intends to bring the legislation to the Senate floor next week.