Congressman Dave Reichert Voted for Trumpcare
As we've been shouting all morning, the bill that would repeal Obamacare and replace it with Trumpcare passed through the House Ways and Means Committee this morning after only 18 hours of mark-ups and discussion. The Congressional Budget Office hasn't scored the bill yet, so no one knows exactly how much it will cost or how many people stand to lose coverage. And yet, like every other Republican on the committee, Congressman Dave Reichert (R-Auburn) voted for the bill. Suzan DelBene (D-Bothell) voted against.
Reichert hasn't released a statement on his vote yet, but, in general, this is what Reichert says he believes about healthcare proposals: I continue to believe that we can advance proposals that lower costs and increase access to quality care without hurting seniors or punishing job-creating small businesses."
Cool.
On that "increase access to quality care" bit: the CBO hasn't analyzed the bill, but Standard & Poor's estimates that between six and ten million people will lose their coverage under Trumpcare. Chopping off a quarter of the people who currently rely on the Affordable Care Act for health insurance is the opposite of increasing access.
During Reichert's Facebook live town hall, he claimed that no one would lose coverage under the new Republican plan:
http://www.thestranger.com/slog/2017/03/09/25014059/congressman-dave-reichert-voted-for-trumpcare-planned-parenthood-rally-outside-his-office-this-afternoon