Repealing and Replacing the Affordable Care Act

On February 16^th, Republicans released their latest proposal outlining their ideas to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. This proposal radically changes the Medicaid program by capping the amount states will receive in federal funding to deliver healthcare to low-income individuals. These capped proposals, either block grants or per-capita allotments, aim to catastrophically cut Medicaid and eliminate important consumer protections currently in place. States will be forced to make difficult choices regarding what services they can deliver and what populations they will be able to serve, placing increased pressures on state budgets. Crucial programs that allow seniors to age at home rather than receiving care in institutional settings are at risk. This latest replacement proposal does not come close to the improved coverage and affordability offered through the Affordable Care Act for older adults. The plan will increase the cost of care and limit access to health care for older adults, especially low-to-middle income older adults. Specifically, the plan decreases tax credits, reintroduces high-risk pools for those most sick, and increases the availability of health savings accounts that provide little benefit for low to middle income consumers. Justice in Aging has developed a new fact sheet showing how cuts to Medicaid through capped Medicaid funding would hurt older adults. For more detailed information on how capped funding would impact older adults, see the issue brief on the site: www.justiceinaging.org