• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns

2

Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'

3

Trump expects to sign a deal with Iran on Sunday, but Tehran may want to avoid giving him a gift on his birthday

1

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns

2

Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'

3

Trump expects to sign a deal with Iran on Sunday, but Tehran may want to avoid giving him a gift on his birthday
Health

Republicans Are in Disarray Over the CBO’s Trumpcare Report

By
Sy Mukherjee
Sy Mukherjee
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Sy Mukherjee
Sy Mukherjee
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 14, 2017, 4:17 PM ET
House Speaker Paul Ryan Holds Weekly Briefing
U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) explains the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act during his weekly press conference at the U.S. Capitol March 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. During his remarks, Ryan said ÒWe made a promise to repeal and replace Obamacare. Now itÕs time to do it.Ó (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)Win McNamee Getty Images

Just how bad is the new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of the GOP’s plan to replace Obamacare? Well, it depends on who you ask.

Since the analysis landed Monday afternoon, a flurry of media reports have focused on its projections that Trumpcare (officially the American Health Care Act), which is currently working its way through Congress, would lead to 24 million fewer insured Americans relative to current law in 2026 (and 14 million fewer by next year). But the White House, Congressional Republicans, and conservative media are all distinctly out-of-step on how to react to the scathing report. And it’s unclear how much it will affect House Speaker Paul Ryan’s ambitious goal of clearing a bill through his chamber prior to the April legislative recess.

Click here to subscribe to Brainstorm Health Daily, our brand new newsletter about health innovations.

The reaction to the CBO report fell along three basic line: 1) It’s incorrect; 2) It’s great news!; and 3) It’s a concerning analysis that signals a need for big changes to the legislation.

The White House, through Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price, took the first tact. “The CBO report’s coverage numbers defy logic,” wrote Price in a statement, going on to cite specific examples of coverage losses he believes “do not translate to the real world.” Price also said that the analysis was unfair since it only considered part one of a “three-pronged” approach to dismantling Obamacare: the first being the main finances-oriented legislation going through legislative committees right now, and the second and third being “regulatory relief” from HHS and follow-on legislation to make other reforms to Obamacare. (Interesting historical note: Price helped get the current CBO director, Keith Hall, appointed to his position back when he was head of House Budget Committee and lavished praise on his analytical abilities at the time.)

White House press secretary Sean Spicer doubled down on the “three prongs” during a media briefing on Tuesday. So did Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Mick Mulvaney during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I don’t believe the facts are correct,” he said. “I’m not just saying that because it looks bad for my political position. I say that based upon a track record of the CBO being wrong before and we believe the CBO is wrong now.”

And then there was Paul Ryan, who had a…different take.

CBO report confirms it → American Health Care Act will lower premiums & improve access to quality, affordable care. https://t.co/jNzmYFPe9H pic.twitter.com/f0NGuLiztl

— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) March 13, 2017

Note: That is an extremely generous view of the CBO’s analysis, which predicts widespread coverage losses and skyrocketing premiums over the next two years before some market stabilization in 2020 and beyond.

The rosy outlook drew skepticism from reliably conservative outlets, including Fox News, where anchor Bret Baier questioned how the analysis could be construed as anything but negative.

.@BretBaier: "Mr. Speaker, if you're encouraged by this CBO report, what's a CBO report you're discouraged by?" @SpeakerRyan explains. #AHCA pic.twitter.com/z9WqRORSmJ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 13, 2017

Outlets typically allied with President Donald Trump used the CBO score to heap even more criticism on to the bill and Speaker Ryan. For instance, Breitbart, which doesn’t believe the AHCA is conservative enough, blared that “Ryancare” would cause 24 million people to lose coverage.

Other GOP leaders, such as Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch, acknowledged that some of the effects projected by CBO were always inevitable. “We know that some are going to lose their coverage. There’s no way we can avoid that,” he said on Monday.

But that’s a pretty far cry from President Donald Trump’s bold promise of “insurance for everybody.”

Several GOP legislators openly acknowledged that the CBO report presents a challenge for Trumpcare going forward. “The CBO estimate that millions of Americans could lose their health insurance coverage if the House bill were to become law is cause for alarm. It should prompt the House to slow down and reconsider certain provisions of the bill,” said Maine Sen. Susan Collins in a statement.

“It’s awful, huh?” said Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana in response to the CBO’s coverage projections. Collins and Cassidy have proposed their own health care reform legislation. “The bill’s likely to change in the House and again in the Senate,” added Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt.

Moderate and conservative senators alike have beefs with the AHCA, with some fearing that its massive cuts to Medicaid would be a disaster for constituents while others say it’s simply another entitlement program wrapped in a Republican package.

About the Author
By Sy Mukherjee
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

Prices for whey protein ingredients are up as much as 250% on U.S. dairy commodities markets as demand soars
RetailFood and drink
Prices for whey protein ingredients are up as much as 250% on U.S. dairy commodities markets as demand soars
By Dee-Ann Durbin and The Associated PressJune 14, 2026
2 hours ago
Middle-aged adults taking GLP-1s for obesity can save over $192K on lifetime medical costs, higher if they don’t have college degrees, new study finds
HealthHealth
Middle-aged adults taking GLP-1s for obesity can save over $192K on lifetime medical costs, higher if they don’t have college degrees, new study finds
By Mia OsmonbekovJune 14, 2026
9 hours ago
U.S.’s screwworm fix is still a year away, risking more spread
North AmericaAgriculture
U.S.’s screwworm fix is still a year away, risking more spread
By Ilena Peng and BloombergJune 13, 2026
18 hours ago
Meet the lone star tick: the primary U.S. source of alpha-gal syndrome, which is a life-threatening meat allergy that’s on the rise
HealthHealth
Meet the lone star tick: the primary U.S. source of alpha-gal syndrome, which is a life-threatening meat allergy that’s on the rise
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressJune 13, 2026
1 day ago
arms
HealthPsychology
You probably think you’re a really open-minded person, but the real thing raises your death anxiety
By Daryl Van Tongeren and The ConversationJune 12, 2026
2 days ago
AI was supposed to cut health care costs. One of its first jobs was charging you more, PwC report shows
AIHealth Care Service
AI was supposed to cut health care costs. One of its first jobs was charging you more, PwC report shows
By Whizy Kim and Tech BrewJune 12, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they’re turning ‘welcomer cities’ into the next big tech towns
By Sydney LakeJune 13, 2026
1 day ago
Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'
Startups & Venture
Melinda French Gates' advice to new IPO millionaires: 'Give half your money away'
By Emma HinchliffeJune 13, 2026
1 day ago
Trump expects to sign a deal with Iran on Sunday, but Tehran may want to avoid giving him a gift on his birthday
Middle East
Trump expects to sign a deal with Iran on Sunday, but Tehran may want to avoid giving him a gift on his birthday
By Jason MaJune 13, 2026
21 hours ago
'It's not a jailbreak' — Research leading to U.S. export restrictions on top Anthropic models was for defense, cybersecurity CEO says
AI
'It's not a jailbreak' — Research leading to U.S. export restrictions on top Anthropic models was for defense, cybersecurity CEO says
By Jason MaJune 13, 2026
23 hours ago
SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen quietly engineered its historic IPO and became an overnight billionaire
C-Suite
SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen quietly engineered its historic IPO and became an overnight billionaire
By Sasha RogelbergJune 13, 2026
1 day ago
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
AI
Anthropic disables Fable and Mythos AI models after U.S. government bars it from giving foreigners access
By Jeremy KahnJune 13, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.