'Absolutely Devastating': CBO Predicts 22 Million Less Insured Under Trumpcare

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on Monday concluded the Senate's version of Trumpcare would leave 22 million more people uninsured by 2026, a verdict that was immediately characterized as a "devastating" blow to a party scrambling to secure the support necessary to pass the legislation by the end of this week.

The New York Times reported that the bill, if implemented, would have dramatic short-term effects, as well.

"Next year," the Times noted, "15 million more people would be uninsured compared with current law."

The analysis comes as doctors and resistance groups across the country forcefully express their outrage at a plan that would thoroughly gut Medicaid over the long-term, eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, and leave children and the elderly without access to lifesaving care.

"Nearly every major city has at least one protest over health care planned in the lead-up to the vote," Vox's Jeff Stein reported. "In Oklahoma, Indivisible activists staged a die-in in a church in Ponca City Sunday where Sen. James Lankford is set to speak, said Taryn Chubb, the group’s leader. Emails have flooded in from activists in central New York, northern Florida, and rural Colorado planning some action in the next week."

The CBO's report is sure to fuel the growing opposition to the bill, which is already extraordinarily unpopular; recent polls, as Common Dreams reported last week, indicate that Trumpcare is disliked by an "overwhelming" percentage of Americans.

Lawmakers and activists were quick to respond as details of the analysis emerged.

This is what Republicans said about their bill over the weekend. What will they say now that we know 22 million will lose health insurance? pic.twitter.com/uaQPvOS1E5

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 26, 2017

This chart from the CBO report really says it all: low income Americans are asked to pay higher premiums for less generous coverage. pic.twitter.com/hT51OqJAfs

— Sarah Kliff (@sarahkliff) June 26, 2017

CBO says premiums would eventually go down under Senate health care bill, but out-of-pocket costs go uphttps://t.co/kiM74lZ7jw

— Dylan Scott (@dylanlscott) June 26, 2017

CBO says four million people will lose employer-sponsored insurance in 2018 under BCRA. pic.twitter.com/TMK2zvibrm

— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) June 26, 2017

VERIFIED: @SenateGOP’s #TrumpCare is just as "mean" & cold-hearted as the House version. We must #ProtectOurCare! https://t.co/ngpkcbrd17

— Rep. Ted Lieu (@RepTedLieu) June 26, 2017

For a Medicaid cut that supposedly doesn't exist, it's going to have some awfully big effects pic.twitter.com/vpPuWD0YqE

— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) June 26, 2017

True confession: I thought it would be lower than this. This is absolutely devastating. https://t.co/x4B8wNV8Rl

— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) June 26, 2017