Paul Ryan To People Who Will Lose Health Care: ‘That’s Freedom’

House Speaker Paul Ryan on Sunday dismissed concerns that up to 15 million people will lose their health insurance under his health plan. And Ryan seemed to suggest that if people can no longer afford health insurance, saying it’s “up to people” to acquire coverage “if they want it.”

“The one thing I’m certain will happen is CBO will say, well, gosh, not as many people will get coverage. You know why? Because this isn’t a government mandate,” Ryan told ABC’s John Dickerson. “You get it if you want it. That’s freedom.”

“How many people are going to lose coverage?” Dickerson asked.

“I can’t answer that question. It’s up to people,” Ryan said. “People are going to do what they want to do with their lives.”

So let’s get this straight, Republicans are taking away financial assistance to low-income and middle-income Americans to buy health insurance and if they can no longer afford coverage? According to Speaker Ryan, “That’s freedom.”