June 22, 2017

Congressman Sires’ Statement on the Devastating Impact of the Senate Health Care Bill 

(Washington, D.C.)- Congressman Sires released the following statement of opposition on the Senate GOP’s plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act:

“After working so hard to hide their plan from the American people, Senate Republicans finally released their version of Trumpcare and it is just as heartless as the one House Republicans rushed through the chamber last month.  Like the House plan, the Senate GOP’s plan means higher health care costs, millions of hard-working Americans losing health coverage, key protections stripped, and a crushing age tax on seniors- all while providing a massive tax cut for the rich.

Specifically, like the House plan, the Senate proposal would eliminate the expansion of Medicaid that has provided 14 million more Americans access to health care.  But the Senate Republicans didn’t stop there; the plan also cuts future federal funding for Medicaid by capping Medicaid payments to states that rely on the federal funding to cover health costs of vulnerable children and seniors.  The GOP plan in the Senatewould also decrease the amount of subsidies currently provided under the Affordable Care Act to help low-and moderate-income families pay for health insurance. To further devastate seniors, the Senate GOP kept the House provision that would allow insurers to charge seniors five times the rate of a younger consumer.

It’s clear that the Senate is not serious about improving the Trumpcare disaster that passed out of the House; rather the Senate GOP plan reaffirms Republican plans in Congress to continue to target the health care of millions of hard-working Americans.  I will continue to fight to protect seniors and families from these devastating proposals.”

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Contact: Erica Daughtrey

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