Fact Check: "The Congressional Budget Office says this bill would cut coverage for up to 17 million people."
What We Know
The claim that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that a specific bill would result in 17 million people losing their health insurance is supported by multiple sources. According to a report from the Joint Economic Committee – Minority, the CBO conducted an analysis indicating that cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) proposed in the Senate budget bill would lead to approximately 17 million people losing their health insurance by 2034. This analysis was corroborated by other reputable sources, including the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation, which also reported similar estimates regarding the impact of the proposed legislation on health coverage.
The CBO's analysis specifically highlighted that the cuts would primarily affect Medicaid and ACA marketplace subsidies, which are crucial for many low-income individuals and families. The report indicated that these changes would not only increase the number of uninsured but also exacerbate existing disparities in health coverage across different states.
Analysis
The evidence supporting the claim is robust and comes from credible, nonpartisan sources. The CBO is a well-respected entity that provides objective analyses of budgetary and economic issues. Its estimates are often used as a benchmark for evaluating the potential impacts of legislative proposals. The CBO's report clearly states that the proposed amendments would not only cut funding but also lead to significant increases in the uninsured population.
Additionally, the New York Times and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities have both reported on the expected loss of coverage, reinforcing the CBO's findings. These sources detail how the proposed legislation would dismantle key components of the ACA, which has been instrumental in reducing the number of uninsured Americans since its implementation.
While some critics may argue that the estimates could vary based on future policy changes or economic conditions, the consensus among these reputable sources is that the immediate effects of the proposed cuts would indeed lead to a significant loss of health insurance coverage for millions of Americans.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill would cut coverage for up to 17 million people is accurate. The CBO's analysis, along with corroborating reports from other credible sources, confirms that the proposed cuts to Medicaid and the ACA would result in a substantial increase in the number of uninsured individuals by 2034.
Sources
- Amended Senate Budget Bill Would Trigger Nearly 20 Million ...
- Estimated Budgetary Effects of an Amendment in the ...
- At least 17 million Americans would lose insurance under ...
- G.O.P. Bill Has $1.1 Trillion in Health Cuts and 11.8 Million ...
- About 17 Million More People Could be Uninsured due to ...
- By the Numbers: Senate Republican Reconciliation Bill ...
- Unpacking claims that 17M people will lose health care with ...
- By the Numbers: House Bill Takes Health Coverage Away ...