Health care — we all need it, we all deserve it, we all want it. So we need to ask what the impact is of the American Health Care Act on Maine residents.

First, it discriminates against those ages 50 to 64 that have individual health insurance by penalizing them with an age tax by allowing insurers to charge this age group five times or more of what others pay for the same coverage — that would be 9 percent of Mainers. It also reduces tax credit assistance for lower- to middle-income older people.

Secondly, it reduces funding to Medicare by repealing a 0.9 percent payroll tax on higher-income workers and removes almost $25 billion in required payments from pharmaceutical companies.

Thirdly, the age tax would significantly increase premiums. Imagine you are 55 years old making $25,000 a year and you see your premium increase by as much as $7,602.

Finally, the AHCA cuts $800 billion from Medicaid over 10 years, affecting more than 268,000 Mainers.

We need health care, we do not want the AHCA.

Bob MacDougall

Augusta


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.