03/17/2017

So, What Happens if Millions of Americans Lose Healthcare Coverage?

Some premiums may decline while others could lose access to assistance

by Michelle Chaffee, Tech Founder & Healthcare Professional

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released findings this week on their assessment of the new healthcare bill proposed by the Trump administration, also called The American Healthcare Act or "Trumpcare," depending on your political persuasion. They suggest that, over a period of 10 years, 24 million Americans would likely lose healthcare coverage. As early as next year, 14 million could be uninsured because the insurance plans available to them would be unaffordable. Republican leaders who are in support of the new bill dispute the findings and counter that the new legislation would result in $337 billion in federal budget savings.

So, what does that mean for you and me? For me, the Republican bill could actually reduce my premiums because under the Affordable Care Act my income is too high to receive any subsidies. The portion of healthcare costs under the new proposed plan, that would be coming directly out of my pocket, is still an unknown. Some analysts say the ones that would be most affected by the new plan are the poorest and the sickest.

Americans who are currently receiving the most assistance via combinations of support from Medicare and Medicaid would be left underinsured or even uninsured, as the money to fund those programs would be drastically cut. I have been told by more than a handful of people over the past few months, some in more delicate ways than others, that we simply can’t afford to cover people who don’t work, have children they can’t support or who can’t even support themselves. They believe that those individuals don't deserve the same healthcare as those who pay for coverage. While I disagree with the assumptions that most people who don’t have insurance are lazy slackers who should get a job and take responsibility, I do understand enough about economics and numbers to know the poor and chronically ill do cost a great deal to provide healthcare to. What I think some people are missing is the impact on the entire healthcare system when millions don’t have access to preventative care and medicine.

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