Millions of Americans Lose Insurance as Obamacare Is Repealed

(Baonghean.vn)- On January 17, the Congressional Budget Office said that repealing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, would push 18 million Americans out of insurance in the first year, and would increase the number of uninsured Americans to 32 million over the next 10 years, while insurance premiums would increase by 25% in the first year and double by 2026.

An insurance office inside a shopping mall in Miami. The company's clients are worried about changes to the Affordable Care Act under Donald Trump. Photo: NY Times.

The budget office released a report analyzing the potential impacts of a Republican-backed bill to repeal Obamacare, similar to one passed in Congress but vetoed by President Obama last year.

The bill would eliminate tax penalties for people without insurance, eliminate spending on expanding Medicaid - the health care program for low-income non-elderly people - and subsidies to help low-income people buy individual insurance.

During the election campaign, Mr. Trump called the Obamacare law a “disaster.” Photo: AP

However, the bill would still retain a provision prohibiting insurers from denying coverage based on a patient's medical history.

The budget office report, which comes after weeks of protests over Obamacare’s repeal, is expected to cause headaches for President-elect Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers and slow down efforts to dismantle the domestic legacy of outgoing President Obama. Trump and Republicans have said they intend to replace the health care law with another one, but they have yet to agree on a replacement plan.

Lan Ha

(According to NY Times)