Scalise Statement on CBO Estimate

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) made the following statement today after the release of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate on the American Health Care Act:

"Today's CBO estimate confirms what Republicans have been saying all along: repealing Obamacare and replacing it with patient-centered reforms lowers health care premiums, lowers taxes, and dramatically reduces the deficit.

"Under our American Health Care Act, American families will finally be rescued from the skyrocketing premiums they are facing under Obamacare. This report confirms that once our reforms take effect, premiums will decrease and families will benefit from more than $800 billion in tax cuts.

"Importantly, this bill saves our taxpayers' hard-earned dollars through historic reforms to make Medicaid more efficient and effective, and it reduces our deficit by $337 billion through eliminating wasteful and inefficient federal spending under Obamacare.

"Ensuring access to health care is a priority for everyone, and Obamacare's collapse has demonstrated that punitive penalties and unworkable mandates from Washington bureaucrats do not mean Americans have better access to care--a reality millions of Americans who lost their existing coverage were forced to experience firsthand.

"While this bill is a major step in providing the choices and access the American people have been desperate for, it is just the first in a three-part process. Actions from the Trump Administration under Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, coupled with additional legislation in Congress, will continue to improve access to affordable care even more. Our plan ensures a stable transition for those on the exchanges, and provides a tax credit so families who don't already receive their insurance through work or a government program can choose a plan that's best for them.

"It's simply common-sense that when you remove government mandates and increase choices, costs for consumers will go down. Today's CBO estimate shows just that, and I look forward to delivering further results to the American people as we continue this providing relief for families by repealing and replacing Obamacare once and for all."

###