Davidson Statement on Updated CBO Score for AHCA

Press Release

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) released the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO's) updated score of the American Health Care Act (AHCA):

"The CBO only confirms that the AHCA's entitlement reforms will reduce the deficit and its regulatory reforms will lower premiums. This updated score shows that the amendments added to the original bill will cause premiums to decrease potentially up to 30% in states that take advantage of the new waiver authority granted by the MacArthur Amendment. The Senate needs to act on this legislation as soon as possible so the American people can get relief from the rising costs of Obamacare."

Background: On March 13, 2017, the CBO released its initial score of the AHCA (H.R. 1628). The AHCA was subsequently amended by the MacArthur Amendment, which would provide more flexibility for states to opt-out of Obamacare's cost-increasing insurance mandates, and the Palmer Amendment, which added "invisible high-risk pools" to better cover those with pre-existing conditions while also keeping premiums low. The AHCA, as amended, passed the House on May 4, 2017, by a vote of 217-213. As CBO says in this score, "the number of people with health insurance would...be slightly higher and average premiums...would be lower" compared to their previous estimates.

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