Statement on the American Health Care Act’s Impact on Medicare Part B Premiums,
by Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center

New York, NY–New estimates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) find the American Health Care Act (AHCA) repeal of a tax on pharmaceutical companies will increase Medicare Part B premiums by $8.7 billion in aggregate over ten years.

This news comes on top of provisions in the AHCA that would be a tax giveaway to the already very rich at the expense of the Medicare program. Repeal of a modest payroll tax leaves the Medicare Part A Trust Fund, which pays for hospital care, vulnerable—taking $117 billion from the fund over the next decade.

Now we know that not only is Congress voting to knowingly undermine the resources available to pay for hospital care for older adults and people with disabilities, members may also be voting later today to hike Medicare Part B premiums in order to fund a tax windfall for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Despite deliberate attempts to shroud this bill in secrecy, the evidence is clear: the AHCA is a stealth assault on Medicare that also dismantles Medicaid as we know it. Every older American, person with a disability, and family is at risk.

Contact: Mitchell Clark – mclark@medicarerights.org

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