House Majority Whip Steve Scalise on Monday evening said the Congressional Budget Office’s calculations of how many Americans would lose healthcare coverage has been misinterpreted by the media.
“What CBO said is if given the option, which our bill – we actually give people freedom – you don’t have to get on Obamacare. You can get off of Obamacare and what CBO is estimating is even with taxpayer subsidies, they think 14 million people just next year will get off of Obamacare if given the choice,” Scalise told Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Media reports on Monday touted CBO’s finding that 24 million people will be dropped from their health insurance in the next 10 years. Scalise said millions will choose to get off Obamacare and find private insurance because they now have the freedom to do so.
“That’s not lost coverage, that’s not throwing anybody off, but CBO calls that lost coverage. To me, that just means you had the freedom to say that ‘I don’t want to be on Obamacare anymore and I got to make that choice for my family,'” Scalise said. The top House GOP official added that he believes millions will leave that plan because a revived healthcare marketplace will increase competition and lower rates for families.
“CBO most importantly backs up the fact that when our plan is implemented, it will lower cost dramatically double digits decrease in the cost of healthcare premiums for families,” Scalise added.
House GOP leaders announced the American Health Care Act last week.
