Duckworth: Trump Sacrificing Veterans For Obamacare Repeal Bill
WASHINGTON, DC (CBS) -- Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth said as many as seven million veterans could lose tax credits under the current version of the Republican-backed plan to replace the Affordable Care Act.
WBBM's Craig Dellimore reports.
Sen. Duckworth lost her legs in combat in Iraq. She joined other Democratic veterans in Congress in railing against a hastily added amendment to the GOP American Health Care Act. She said the proposed measure would deny existing tax credits to veterans who do not use Veterans Affairs facilities for their medical care.
"It's still unclear whether the provision was added intentionally, meaning that the president knowingly broke his promise in order to try to get under the 60 vote threshold in the Senate, or unintentionally, meaning this was done so poorly and haphazardly that they didn't even know what they were doing," she said.
New Hampshire congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster said she believed the omission was intentional.
Duckworth also claimed Republican lawmakers suggested they could fix the problem later. The Illinois Democrat and her colleagues said the act should be changed before any votes happen.
Sen. Duckworth outlined other promises President Trump did not keep in a press release. She said the Republican promised his health care plan would cover everyone and lower premiums, which the current proposed measure does not.
A nonpartisan analysis of the previous version of the American Health Care Act estimated 24 million people would lose their health insurance under the new plan. Older Americans will also face significantly higher deductibles and premiums, which could mean more out-of-pocket costs.
