Congratulations, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen. You just shot yourself in the foot.
These are the headlines Republicans who voted for Trumpcare last week are facing back home this week: "Republican Obamacare repeal would hit New Jersey harder than any other state." Ouch for Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, one of the most vulnerable House members to take this bad vote, as well as his home-state Republican colleagues Frank LoBiondo, Tom MacArthur, Chris Smith, and Leonard Lance. Other states will be hit very hard (particularly New York and California), but New Jersey is a special case. Because New Jersey has a large population that’s on expanded Medicaid. A very large population.
The bill would leave 500,000 more Garden State residents without health insurance than under current law, and New Jersey no longer would get extra federal funding for expanding Medicaid.
While New Jersey officials likely won't seek waivers to allow insurers to sell bare-boned insurance policies and jack up rates for those with pre-existing conditions, the House Republicans' health bill would hurt the state in many other ways. [...]
A study by the Urban Institute found that federal Medicaid funding to New Jersey on a per person basis would drop by 20.6 percent, more than any other state.
That could threaten the health care of 1.8 million New Jersey seniors, people with disabilities and children, according to New Jersey Policy Perspective, a progressive research group.
So half a million without healthcare right off the top and another 1.8 million in jeopardy, all because of this bill. That's just the people relying on Medicaid! While New Jersey would be unlikely to try to get the waivers that New Jersey Rep. MacArthur negotiated with the Freedom Caucus maniacs to make passage of this bill possible, older people are still likely to be priced out of health insurance, and the tax credits on offer are likely going to fall short for plenty of others.
New Jersey Republicans: you're going to pay for this vote—starting with Frelinghuysen. Help us help his future Democratic challenger with your $3 donation.
Comments are closed on this story.