Tax Bill Would be a “Triple Hit” To Californians and Our Health Care

California Congressmembers are expected to vote Thursday on a decidedly anti-California tax bill, which in order to provide a tax giveaway to corporations and the wealthy, would raise taxes for many middle-income families, and force future cuts to key health care programs and other core services. If passed, it would be merged with the Senate bill that is in many ways worse, totally eliminating state and local tax deductions, and now including a repeal of the Affordable Care Act individual mandate that would raise health insurance premiums and lead to millions more uninsured Americans.

The Senate tax bill now includes a repeal of the Affordable Care Act individual mandate, which will lead to premiums spikes of 10% or more, and over 12 million Americans losing coverage.

The proposal would blow a $1.5 trillion hole in the federal budget, and likely force cuts to Medicare and especially Medicaid, a program that California relies on to cover 14 million residents–a third of the state, half of all children, and two-thirds of all nursing home residents. Such a cut is a magnitude twice the size of the ACA repeal proposals that House GOP members voted for just a few months ago. On top of that, the budget slashes other vital services to low- and moderate-income families, from school lunches to Pell grants. The bill would remove many deductions that middle-class families depend on, including the medical expense deductions that is so crucial for patients with chronic conditions and seniors in nursing homes.

The tax proposal is actually another health repeal bill in disguise, a triple hit to Californians’ care and coverage–taxing the sick, forcing massive cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, and the final product likely raising premiums and leaving millions more Americans uninsured.

While most of the Republicans from New York and New Jersey have criticized if not outright opposed this bill, California Republicans have been strangely silent even though this disproportionately hurts their constituents. No California Congressmember has any business voting for such a bill that hits Californians so hard on both the front end with additional taxes for many and on the back end with forced cuts and increased premiums. This tax bill is another test of whether our California Congressmembers really represent their region or if they will put their party before the people they vowed to serve.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Call your Congressmember NOW at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to vote NO on this, or any other legislation, that cuts our health care to give tax breaks to the richest Americans and corporations.