Early Tuesday evening, the non-partisan and often inaccurate Congressional Budget Office released its latest score for the revamped American Health Care Act. The big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) were quick to latch onto the claim that 23 million people would be without health insurance. None of them mentioned how that figure comes from many people choosing not to buy the health care they are forced to by the government. They also downplayed how many with health insurance would get relief from their skyrocketing premiums.
“Next to another developing headline involving millions of Americans who could lose their health insurance,” announced ABC News Anchor David Muir during World News Tonight setting Republicans up as villains. “At town halls across the country, we have reported on Americans angry and concerned, asking questions about what will happen to their insurance.” He handed the report off to Mary Bruce, who wasted no time in playing clips of angry crowds shouting at Republican representatives. She also included a shot of a woman holding a sign that read "GOP hates Americans."
Sounding as if to say deficit reduction was a terrible thing, Bruce reported that “The Congressional Budget Office releasing their report card, finding the bill could leave 23 million more Americans uninsured, and reduce the deficit by $119 billion over the next decade.” “For some, their premiums could skyrocket. A 64-year-old person roughly making $26,500 in some states could see their premiums climb nearly $12,000 or more,” she added.
On NBC Nightly News, National Correspondent Peter Alexander reported something similar. “Premiums would jump about 20 percent next year before dropping a couple years from now when states can approve less comprehensive coverage,” he asserted.
CBS Evening News dedicated the least amount of time on the story at roughly a couple dozen seconds. “Well, the analysis came today. The bill would reduce federal deficits by $119 billion by 2026,” declared Anchor Scott Pelley, only touching on the talking points. “But 23 million Americans would lose their coverage. Republicans in the Senate are starting over writing their own version.”
What they failed to mention was that the CBO found that most people with insurance would see their premiums reduced no matter where they lived. On page six of the report, the CBO wrote that “About half the population resides in states that would not request waivers regarding the EHBs or community rating, CBO and JCT project. In those states, average premiums in the nongroup market would be about 4 percent lower in 2026 than under current law.”
They also explained that one-third of the U.S. population lives in a state that would seek “moderate changes to market regulations.” And according to them, that would lead to “average premiums in the nongroup market would be roughly 20 percent lower in 2026 than under current law.” They added that depending on the changes to market regulation the reduction to premiums could be between 10 and 30 percent.
And for the one-sixth of the population who live in states that would receive waivers, they would see a reduction in premiums too, but the CBO didn’t specify the amount.”
The obvious outcome of smaller premiums would be that more people could actually afford to pay for their healthcare coverage.
The CBO also admitted that the reason the health care exchanges were in such bad shape, with insurers fleeing them, was because they were losing money hand over fist. “Several factors could lead insurers to withdraw from the market—including lack of profitability,” they wrote.
Despite the media’s glorifying of the CBO report, the Congressional Budget Office actually cautions those trying to hold their findings as accurate. Hidden all the way down on page 32 of the document, they write:
Such estimates are inherently uncertain because the ways in which federal agencies, states, insurers, employers, individuals, doctors, hospitals, and other affected parties would respond to the changes made by the legislation are all difficult to predict. In addition, CBO and JCT’s projections under current law itself are inexact.
Transcripts below:
ABC
World News Tonight
May 24, 2017
6:39:25 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: Next to another developing headline involving millions of Americans who could lose their health insurance. At town halls across the country we have reported on Americans angry and concerned, asking questions about what will happen to their insurance. Well tonight, the independent report is just out, looking at the new plan that has passed the House, repealing and replacing Obamacare. How many fewer Americans could be insured over the next decade? ABC's Mary Bruce on the hill.
[Cuts to video]
CROWD: ACA. ACA.
MARY BRUCE: For months, Americans have crowded town halls, voicing fear and frustration.
CROWD: Do your job. Do your job.
BRUCE: President Trump and Republicans have already declared victory.
DONALD TRUMP: This is a repeal and replace of ObamaCare, make no mistake about it.
BRUCE: And tonight, we finally know what the House healthcare bill could mean for you. The Congressional Budget Office releasing their report card, finding the bill could leave 23 million more Americans uninsured, and reduce the deficit by $119 billion over the next decade. For some, their premiums could skyrocket. A 64-year-old person roughly making $26,500 in some states could see their premiums climb nearly $12,000 or more.
Those concerns around the country, fueled by last-minute changes to the bill that would allow states to opt out of guaranteeing coverage for basic health services, like maternity care and even ambulances. And states could waive the requirement that insurers don't discriminate based on pre-existing conditions. Even Republicans admit that has to change.
JAMES LANKFORD: We've got to deal with pre-existing conditions in a way we know will actually work for people.
BRUCE: The report warning that over time, it would "Become more difficult" for people with those conditions to purchase insurance because their premiums would "Continue to increase rapidly." It's far from a done deal.
(…)
...
NBC Nightly News
May 24, 2017
7:08:33 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: In a late development tonight, the much anticipated scorecard is out on the plan passed by House Republicans to replace ObamaCare. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the plan would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured by 2026. For more details, we'll go to NBC News National Correspondent Peter Alexander. Good evening, Peter.
PETER ALEXANDER: Hey Lester, good evening. That prediction estimating the plan that House Republicans passed earlier this month to replace ObamaCare would leave 14 million more Americans uninsured next year, over the next ten years that number as you noted, grows to 23 million. Premiums would jump about 20% next year before dropping a couple years from now when states can approve less comprehensive coverage.
For people with preexisting conditions, that could raise cost significantly and what you pay out-of-pocket would go up for things like maternity care and mental health benefits if your insurance no longer covers them. Republicans are touting $119 billion in estimated savings over the next decade but to be clear Obamacare remains the law of the land, the future of healthcare reform right now is in the hands of the Senate. They are working on their own replacement plan. Lester?
HOLT: Peter Alexander from the White House, thank you.
...
CBS Evening News
May 24, 2017
6:40:52 PM EasternSCOTT PELLEY: Last month Republicans in the House rushed to pass their ObamaCare replacement before the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office could analyze it. Well, the analysis came today. The bill would reduce federal deficits by $119 billion by 2026. But 23 million Americans would lose their coverage. Republicans in the Senate are starting over writing their own version.
