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If Health Care Reform is Repealed, How Would it Affect Southern California?

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If the health care reform law passed by Congress last year is repealed, it would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to between 2.5 million and 6.6 million individuals in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, including between 200,000 to 910,000 children with pre-existing conditions.

That, at least, is what Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) said today in a letter to colleagues who today will be considering a repeal of the Affordable Care Act on the House floor. He, along with Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), had Democrat staff of the Committee on Energy and Commerce analyze the impacts of repeal in every congressional district and in 30 metropolitan areas of the country.

"We believe many members, especially newly elected ones, may be surprised by the results.  Health care reform is already delivering important health benefits to your constituents," the two congressmen wrote. "We regret that there have been no hearings on the implications of repeal.  The failure to hold hearings denies members and the public an opportunity to understand fully what is at stake."

Republicans from the committee have not responded, but are planning to put out a statement today or tomorrow, an aide told KCET.

The analysis includes data from all Southern California districts as well as larger sets for three metropolitan areas: Los Angeles, Riverside-San Bernardino and San Diego (all PDFs).

The White House today was also on the offensive with a report released by the Department of Health and Human Services. It concluded that around 129 million people under the age of 65 with pre-existing conditions could have their insurance jeopardized without the legislation.

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