12 Patient and Consumer Groups: CBO Confirms that Alexander-Murray Bill Is Not a Fix for Repealing the Individual Mandate

Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) sent a letter to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) indicating that the Alexander-Murray Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act would not mitigate the premium increases and coverage losses that would result from repealing the individual mandate. In response, 12 non-partisan patient and provider groups released the following statement:

"Yesterday, the CBO confirmed that repealing the individual mandate will raise premiums in the health insurance market by an average of 10 percent, even if Congress also passes the Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act. It would also result in 13 million fewer Americans having health insurance coverage. Some lawmakers contend that passage of the short-term stabilization package would offset the negative effects of repealing the individual mandate, but this is definitively not the case.

"The 12 undersigned organizations, representing patients and consumers, call on Senators to preserve the individual mandate and remove this harmful provision from the tax bill. If the current version of Senate tax bill becomes law, it would result in more expensive coverage for our communities who rely on affordable care to maintain their health and well-being.

"While we support the efforts of Senators Alexander and Murray to bring stability to the health insurance markets, their bill does not compensate for the damaging effects of repealing the individual mandate in the Senate tax bill. We urge Senators to reject any provision that would make care more expensive for the people who need it most."

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American Diabetes Association
American Heart Association
American Lung Association
Arthritis Foundation
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Epilepsy Foundation
Lutheran Services in America
March of Dimes
National Health Council
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Organization for Rare Disorders