The House Ways and Means Committee, which includes Rep. Tom Reed, voted to approve the American Health Care Act, before the costs of the proposed ACA replacement has been determined.
Reed, who has constantly complained about the national debt, the deficit, and the debt ceiling, has conveniently had a change of heart when it comes to a bill that would affect hundreds of millions American citizens’ health care and add to the deficit. It is not a coincidence that the committee whose job is fiscal oversight was one of the first two committees to review the proposed bill. It approved the AHCA by a party line vote.
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan would like to have the AHCA rushed through the House by their April 7 recess. They will be “working in their district” from April 7 to April 25. If they have not approved the AHCA by then, the constituents will have many opportunities to let their representatives know their feelings.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office still has to review the AHCA and will estimate the cost in real dollars and how it affects real Americans. Business Insider reports “Because of the last-minute changes, however, House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a press conference on Wednesday that he did not expect the CBO score until sometime early next week.” Thursday, March 16 seems to be a good guestimant of when we will learn of their study.
The GOP has already dismissed the numbers that the CBO will come up with, citing their track record when the scored the ACA. If fact their estimates were lower than what actually happened, which the GOP are hoping will happen to the AHCA.
Although Reed’s constituents have many concerns, saving the ACA has been the cornerstone issue at the rallies at Rep. Reed’s offices and Town Hall meetings. Knowing that he has approved of it without knowing, or caring, about the cost is not going to be forgotten.
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