Graham-Cassidy Legislation Threatens Affordable Coverage for Older Americans

Lina Walker, AARP Thought Leadership

Jane Sung, AARP Public Policy Institute

Claire Noel-Miller, AARP Public Policy Institute

Olivia Dean, AARP Public Policy Institute

Published September 20, 2017

The Graham-Cassidy (GC) bill threatens to make health care unaffordable and inaccessible for millions of older Americans. The bill eliminates two sources of financial assistance – premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions – critical to ensuring that low- to moderate-income older adults are able to afford the coverage they need. The bill may also allow states to charge older adults age 50-64 significantly higher premiums than under current law on the basis of their age by waiving federal protections that limit the practice known as age rating. This fact sheet presents state-by-state data on the impact of these changes for older adults.

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