Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blasted the GOP's "skinny repeal" plan Wednesday, saying the Congressional Budget Office predicts 20 percent increases in premium costs and 16 million more uninsured.
"Skinny repeal is equal to full repeal," Schumer said on the Senate floor earlier Wednesday. "It's a Trojan horse designed to get the House and Senate into conference where the hard right flank of the House Republicans, the Freedom Caucus, will demand full repeal or something very close to it."
Schumer sent out a press release Wednesday evening with the CBO's newest estimates attached. The figures show the number of estimated uninsured in 2026 rising from 28 million under the current law to 44 million under the GOP "skinny" plan.
The CBO told Democrats the plan would raise premium costs by 20 percent, according the the release.
Republicans have tried unsuccessfully over the past two days to pass a repeal-and-replace bill and a repeal-only bill. They now are focused on the "skinny" bill that would leave out most of specifics and focus only on repealing the individual and employer mandates, repealing the medical device tax, and defunding Planned Parenthood and two other funds.
Republicans have argued the CBO's numbers do not take into account personal choice, including the fact people will drop insurance coverage simply because they do not want it and are no longer required by law to have it without paying a penalty.
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