Washington, D.C. — As the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) appears to have failed, Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has shifted his strategy from repeal and replace to repeal and delay. This strategy—which was previously rejected by Congress— would double premiums in the individual market by 2026. A new analysis by the Center for American Progress shows that the premium for a 40-year-old in the individual market under repeal and delay would rise to $13,000 in 2026, or $6,500 higher than it would be under current law. Even in the first year before the repeal would fully take effect, a 40-year-old would pay $1,100 more for coverage than under current law.
The actual impact on many enrollees could be even more extreme than these numbers indicate. Currently, most marketplace enrollees receive tax credits that reduce the share of the premium they pay. Under repeal and delay, these tax credits would be repealed after two years with no replacement.
“Under Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump, Republicans in Congress are unable to come up with a single proposal that doesn’t send prices through the roof and leave tens of millions of Americans without coverage. Under the revived and unworkable repeal and delay plan, many Americans will see premiums spike to the point where health insurance is entirely unaffordable,” said Topher Spiro, vice president for health policy at CAP.
Click here to read “Estimated Premium Increases from Repeal and Delay,” by Emily Gee and Thomas Huelskoetter.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Devon Kearns at 202.741.6290 or [email protected]