A fresh caution has arisen during the legislative discussion surrounding the GOP-supported “ One Grand Stunning Bill Legislation ”: Many U.S. households might encounter a significant increase in healthcare-related debts. if the suggested healthcare cuts are enacted. According to a report by Washington-based think tank Third Way , eliminating parts of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) might increase overall medical debt by as much as $50 billion, affecting over 5 million families directly.
The legislation, approved by the The House of Representatives proposes $1.1 trillion in reductions to federal healthcare expenditures, aiming at both Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidy programs. Consequently, as many as 16 million individuals are expected to lose their health insurance, with approximately 7.8 million coming from Medicaid and about 8.2 million from Affordable Care Act (ACA) policies.
This reduction in coverage would directly and substantially affect family financial situations. According to the study, this could lead to further impacts on households. 5.4 million individuals would join households burdened with medical debts. , contributing to the substantial number of more than 100 million Americans who presently hold outstanding medical debts.
Those who were not burdened with medical debt before would be hit the hardest. 87% of these households would amass an average of $22,800 in new balances. Moreover, 13% might increase their current $13,490 in debt by an additional $8,790, causing their overall medical debt to surpass $31,500. This data highlights more than merely a fiscal emergency; it signifies a significant danger to the economic advancement of millions.
David Kendall, who serves as a senior fellow focusing on health and fiscal policies at Third Way , warned that this The amount of debt might sabotage family financial prospects. “ Medical debt obstructs the path to the American dream, and we should avoid exacerbating this issue. ”, he said.
The The Trump administration has supported the reductions. , stating their objective is to decrease "waste, fraud, and abuse" within federal initiatives such as Medicaid, and presenting the legislation as an "economic boon" for working- and middle-class citizens via tax cuts and increased net income.
Nonetheless, Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley, Cory Booker, Chuck Schumer, and Ron Wyden directed a missive to the GOP leadership in Congress, referencing the Third Way study. They cautioned the recipients about the potential issues. Bill represents a significant risk to the economic stability of working households and stressed that addressing medical debt should be considered a "top national concern." with bipartisan support.
The senators highlighted initiatives already in progress. 16 states plan to eliminate or expunge medical debt from credit reports. They also pointed out proof that health insurance has a quantifiable impact. A 2013 study noted this effect. The New England Journal of Medicine found that The 2008 Medicaid expansion in Oregon decreased medical debt by 13.28 percentage points.
The repercussions of medical debt extend well past merely outstanding payments. The study indicates that this can cause households to put off necessary treatments or cut back on essential expenses like groceries. Additionally, individuals might accrue more types of debts as they struggle financially. This issue also affects overall consumer expenditure, which could hinder wider economic progress.
The fate of the Republican plan remains unclear in the Senate. Where Democrats are unified against the cuts and several Republicans want more extensive reductions, legislators advocating for reversing these cuts emphasize: "There’s still time to halt this reduction."