The Congressional Budget Office said Monday that most of the people who would no longer have health insurance by 2018 under the Republican bill to repeal and replace Obamacare would be in that position voluntarily, and would decline coverage after the elimination of Obamacare’s requirement that all individuals have insurance.
CBO’s report on the effects of the American Health Care Act said 14 million more people would be left uninsured under the GOP bill. But it said for most, that would be a result of their own decision.
“Most of that increase would stem from repealing the penalties associated with the individual mandate,” CBO said.
CBO added that in some cases, higher premiums would prompt people to leave.
“Some of those people would choose not to have insurance because they chose to be covered by insurance under current law only to avoid paying the penalties, and some people would forgo insurance in response to higher premiums,” it added.
CBO said that another 24 million more people would be insured by 2026 under the GOP bill, for a total of 52 million, instead of the 28 million uninsured under Obamacare.
CBO said that increase would come “in large part” because states would discontinue expanded eligibility for Medicaid coverage.
