The House-backed health care bill will make insurance costs leap for some older Americans, according to the government's own estimate, and the AARP is giving Republicans an earful. In a new report, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the American Health Care Act will lead to 23 million more uninsured people in 2026 than under current law. For some older Americans, insurance premiums will explode, the CBO says — increasing to almost 9½ times what those people are currently paying in some cases The CBO found that average premiums for Americans will generally fall, though whether states decide to take waivers allowed under the plan will affect how much costs spike for older people. Overall, the CBO assessment does not bode well for coverage of older Americans with lower incomes. The AARP, the influential lobbying group that advocates for seniors, seized on the estimates, voicing "strong opposition" to what it called a "harmful bill."

"Putting a greater financial burden on older Americans is not the way to solve the problems in our health care system," the AARP said in a statement. The CBO estimates that the increase in the number of uninsured people "would be disproportionately larger among older people with lower income — particularly people between 50 and 64 years old with income of less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level." Additionally, the CBO said one rule change under the plan, effective in 2019, "would directly alter the premiums faced by different age groups, substantially reducing premiums for young adults and raising premiums for older people." The CBO estimates that a 64-year-old with an income of $26,500, or 175 percent of the federal poverty level, could see premiums skyrocket by 800 percent or more in 2026 under the proposal, depending on whether states use waivers. Those premium estimates break down this way in 2026: A 64-year-old with $26,500 in income would pay a net premium of $1,700 under current law. That would spike to $16,100 in a state requesting no waivers and $13,600 in a state requesting "moderate" changes to regulations.

A 64-year-old with $68,200 in income would see a much smaller effect. A net premium of $15,300 under current law would rise to $16,100 in a state requesting no waivers and fall to $13,600 in a state with "moderate" revisions to regulations.

In contrast, a 21-year-old making $26,500 with a net premium of $1,700 under the law now would see it rise to $1,750 in states not requesting waivers and see it fall to $1,250 in states making "moderate" changes.

The CBO estimates that in states that make "moderate" revisions to regulations, premiums would largely fall — because plans would cover fewer benefits. But relatively healthy and young people are likely to prefer those plans more than older Americans, who "could face substantial out of-pocket costs," the CBO said. The CBO score did not explicitly clarify how the plan would affect people over 65, who are eligible for Medicare. However, AARP contended Wednesday that those Americans could also take a hit, saying more costs could potentially shift to seniors.

AARP has clout in Washington