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CBO: 10 million will lose employer health coverage under Senate plan
By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
12/08/09 1:48 PM EST
The Congressional Budget Office predicts up to 10 million people would lose employer-sponsored health care coverage under Senate Democratic health care reform plan.
The CBO released the data last night.
"Firms that would choose not to offer coverage as a result of the proposal would tend to be smaller employers and employers that predominantly employ lower-wage workers‚"people who would be eligible for subsidies through the exchange," The CBO reports, "although some workers who would not have employment-based coverage because of the proposal would not be eligible for such subsidies."
Senate Republicans are touting the new figures to counter claims by President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.,that people will be able to keep their current health plan under his reform proposal.
"Unemployment is already at 10 percent, and millions of Americans have already lost their employer-provided health insurance,‚ Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said. "We can't afford to let the Reid bill make matters worse."
The CBO found that by 2019, 157 million people would have their insurance provided through an employer, about 5 million fewer than current law. Another 6 million would receive new employer coverage, in part because a proposed mandate would increase demand.
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