Planned Parenthood Opposes Final Tax Bill That Undermines the Affordable Care Act
For Immediate Release: Dec. 20, 2017
“Attacks on health coverage have no place in any legislation, especially not in a tax bill.”
Washington, D.C. - In response to Senate passage of the tax bill, Planned Parenthood Action Fund released the following statement.
Statement from Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President, Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
Attacks on health coverage have no place in any legislation, especially not in a tax bill. Yet GOP leaders were so hell-bent on undermining health care for millions of people that they snuck it into a tax bill.
“Unfortunately for the American public, GOP leaders did not listen to the hundreds of thousands of people who spoke out, made calls, visited offices, and shared their stories urging them to stop attacking access to affordable health care.
“Congress members who voted for repealing a critical portion of the Affordable Care Act are now responsible for causing millions of people’s premiums to rise. They will be held accountable by their constituents.
“This bill is bad policy and will take families backwards. Ultimately, women and their families will be hurt the most.
The final tax bill includes a measure undoing a critical provision of the Affordable Care Act, a move that could result in 13 million people losing access to health care coverage. Thanks to the ACA, nearly 10 million women gained health care coverage and the number of uninsured women was cut nearly by half. This bill threatens to reverse that progress.
Repeal of the individual mandate was already rejected in the many versions of the ACA repeal bills – and was opposed by governors of both parties, health insurers, physicians, patient advocates, and experts.
In addition, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that premiums for plans in the individual market would increase by 10 percent without the individual mandate.
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Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including voter education, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.