Jimmy Kimmel: Senator Bill Cassidy 'lied' about health care bill

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Wednesday, September 20, 2017
The late night host had a blunt message for Senator Cassidy.
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Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel blasted the newest Republican attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, saying one of its authors lied to him.

On his Tuesday night show, Kimmel slammed legislation known as Graham-Cassidy for its two main sponsors, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

"They want us to treat it like an iTunes service agreement," Kimmel said of the legislation.

Kimmel did not wade into particulars of the bill, though he did estimate that it would lead to 30 million people losing coverage (the legislation has not yet been scored by the Congressional Budget Office).

In June, Kimmel delivered an emotional speech about his newborn son's emergency open-heart surgery and how it gave him clarity on Congress' healthcare debate.

Following the first plea, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana told Kimmel he would write a bill that would protect children with preexisting conditions, like Kimmel's son, from lifetime limits.

Later that same week, Sen. Cassidy coined the notion of a "Jimmy Kimmel Test" for any new healthcare law.

In his Tuesday monologue, Kimmel accused Cassidy of lying when he'd seemingly promised that he'd only vote for a bill that included features like protection for pre-existing conditions and essential health benefits.

"This new bill actually does pass the Jimmy Kimmel test - but a different Jimmy Kimmel test," the late-night host said. "With this one, your child with a preexisting condition will get the care he needs if, and only if, his father is Jimmy Kimmel. Otherwise, you might be screwed."