'The Math Is Not Adding Up': AOC Rips Republicans' Medicaid Cuts In GOP Reconciliation Bill

At today's House Energy Committee hearing, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tore into the GOP budget reconciliation bill.

Transcript

00:00The gentlelady from New York is recognized for her three minutes in an opening statement.

00:04Thank you, Mr. Chair.

00:0613.7 million people, 13.7 million Americans will be cut off from their health care

00:18and made completely uninsurable by the bill that Republicans are presenting today.

00:25You know, there's a lot that I've been hearing, and I've been listening to my Republican counterparts here today

00:31and what they've been saying about this bill.

00:33And the math is not adding up.

00:37They're trying to convince people that they are cutting millions of undocumented people from payroll, from Medicare,

00:45acting as though this is what's going to save you.

00:47Even if you believe everything that Republicans have said today,

00:51one, they are identifying one million, their claim, which I dispute,

00:57but if you believe them, their claim is that one million undocumented people are on Medicaid.

01:02So why are they trying to cut 13.7 million Americans off their health care?

01:09By the Republicans' own Energy and Commerce tweet this morning,

01:13their claim is 7.6 million people are somehow ineligible for health care.

01:19So why are they cutting 13.7 million Americans off their health care?

01:25They've asked us to read this bill, and we have.

01:28This bill bans the people that they kick off of Medicaid from even buying their own insurance

01:36from the Affordable Care Act exchange.

01:39So once you are kicked off Medicaid, you then can't even buy your own health insurance.

01:45It increases costs for people who they deem eligible and who are low income and forces them to pay even more.

01:53And if you have a private insurer, don't worry, you're getting screwed over, too,

01:57because your health care premiums are going to skyrocket from the disaster that is happening from this bill.

02:05We've done assessments, because if you live in a rural community, you're going to be hurt, too.

02:10In New York 23, 25% of people are on Medicaid in this area of upstate New York.

02:19Westfield Memorial Hospital will be at risk of closure.

02:23UPMC Chautauqua is at risk of closure.

02:27Schuyler Hospital at risk of closure.

02:30California 23, where 46% of people are on Medicaid.

02:36Redlands Community Hospital at risk of closure if this passes.

02:39Victor Valley Global Medical Center, Loma Linda University Medical Center, all at risk of closure.

02:46Colorado 8, 24% of people in this community are on Medicaid,

02:52and Platte Valley Medical Center will be at risk of closure if these cuts pass.

02:58Who do you believe?

03:00The people who are trying to cut this, not, by the way, to cut from quote-unquote undeserving people

03:06to give to deserving people, but they are cutting these Medicaid care and these Medicaid dollars

03:12to pay for tax cuts for Elon Musk and billionaires.

03:18So this money isn't even going towards funding better care for people who are eligible.

03:24This money is going, and we are cutting money and health care from people and families who are suffering

03:32to pay for tax cuts for the rich.

03:35It is a crime happening in front of the American public right now, and I yield back.

03:39Mr. Chairman, I seek to be recognized.

03:46The gentleman from Massachusetts is recognized for his opening statement.