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GOP Health Plan Would Leave 52M Uninsured
Bill saves some money, expands coverage by only 3M
By Jane Yager
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Posted Nov 5, 09 7:50 AM CST
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(Newser)
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The GOP health care bill has no chance of passing—but if it did, most people who already have coverage would see their premiums drop, while 52 million Americans currently uninsured would stay that way. So says a report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which largely confirms Dems' claims that the GOP bill would do little to change the status quo.
The budget office found the Democratic bill would extend coverage to 36 million people, leaving 96% of legal residents covered, and reducing federal deficits by $104 billion; the GOP bill would extend coverage to 3 million and cut the deficit by $66 billion, while saving $41 billion by limiting malpractice lawsuit costs. House Republicans say their bill isn't meant to expand coverage, a goal they see as unaffordable, but simply to reduce costs, the New York Times reports.