AARP Response to Tax Bill Amendment to Eliminate Health Coverage Requirement

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond released the following statement in response to the amendment to the tax bill that repeals the health coverage requirement:  

"The amendment to repeal the individual health coverage requirement will leave millions of Americans uninsured, destabilize the health insurance market, and lead to spikes in the cost of premiums.

"The Congressional Budget Office recently confirmed that repealing the individual health coverage requirement would lead to 13 million Americans losing their health coverage, including 2 million Americans who would lose employer-sponsored coverage.

"AARP urges Congress to reject this amendment, which also undermines the bipartisan health bill offered last month by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) that is intended to reduce premium spikes and stabilize the individual health insurance market."

About AARP

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

SOURCE AARP