FACT: The AHCA does what Obamacare failed to do, which is provide Americans with the freedom to choose when it comes to their health care. Choice is the operative word here – one that was absent in the world of Obamacare’s big-government mandates. Obamacare is in a death spiral, and millions of Americans will lose their care if Congress does not take action. This death spiral is causing insurers to cease offering plans on the exchanges. In 2017 33% of counties only have one insurer on their exchange and 70% of counties have 2 or fewer insurers. Coverage will not just be unaffordable without replacing Obamacare; it will be unavailable.
“At the outset, it’s because some consumers would choose not to buy insurance if they’re not penalized for lacking it. ‘CBO and [the Joint Committee on Taxation] estimate that, in 2018, 14 million more people would be uninsured under the legislation than under current law. Most of that increase would stem from repealing the penalties associated with the individual mandate,’ the report reads.” (Chris Deaton, “The CBO Didn’t Say Anything About 24 Million ‘Losing’ Insurance,” The Weekly Standard, 3/15/17)
“These 14 million people will not, despite what you’ve read, ‘lose coverage.’ For the most part, CBO says, they ‘will choose not to have insurance because they chose to be covered by insurance under current law only to avoid paying penalties’ [emphasis added].” (Doug Badger, “CBO’s Alternate Facts About Obamacare,” National Review, 3/16/17)
