New Report Documents the Double Standard of Republican House Members Seeking to Repeal Health Care Reform

Republican House Members Would Take Away Many New Health Benefits and Rights from America’s Families but Keep Those Same Benefits and Rights for Themselves

Washington, D.C. – Republican House members seeking repeal of the Affordable Care Actplan to take away many health care benefits and rights from America’s families—but they intend to retain those same benefits and rights for themselves.

This double standard is the theme of a new analysis released today by the consumer health organization Families USA.

The new report, H.R. 2: Guilty of a Double Standard, documents 14 health care benefits and rights that would be withdrawn from America’s families but retained by the House members seeking health reform repeal, including the following:

• The proposed repeal eliminates new protections for America’s families that prohibit insurance companies from denying health coverage to people with pre-existing conditions—but members of Congress would retain those protections for themselves.
  
  
• It eliminates new tax credit subsidies that make insurance premiums affordable for middle-class families—but members of Congress would retain the taxpayer subsidies that pay for almost three-fourths of their premiums.
  
  
• The Affordable Care Act eliminates the big gap in prescription drug coverage for Medicare enrollees known as the “doughnut hole.” The repeal takes away that new Medicare benefit—while members of Congress would retain their own comprehensive drug coverage.
  
  
• The Affordable Care Act limits how much people have to spend out of pocket when they get sick, thereby protecting America’s families from going into debt or facing bankruptcy. The repeal eliminates this protection—but members of Congress would retain the ability to select taxpayer-subsidized coverage that limits their own out-of-pocket costs.
  
  
• The repeal would eliminate new rights Americans have to contest claims denials by insurance companies—but members of Congress plan to retain a similar right for themselves.
  
  
• The repeal eliminates new rights Americans have that stop insurance companies from rescinding health coverage when they get sick or charging discriminatory premiums if they have health problems—rights that would be retained by members of Congress.  

“House Republican members seeking to repeal the Affordable Care Act are guilty of a double standard,” said Ron Pollack, Families USA’s Executive Director. “They plan to take away from us the same benefits and rights they intend to keep for themselves—courtesy of America’s taxpayers.

“It is enough to give hypocrisy a bad name.”

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org