MFV: GOP Senate’s Revised Health Care Bill Worsens Coverage; Shows Arrogance of Power By Ignoring Constituents’ Demands

(Press Release) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The latest Republican-led health care proposal designed to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) shows the leadership’s inability or unwillingness to maintain a stable health care program that Americans demand and deserve, said Mi Familia Vota (MFV) Executive Director Ben Monterroso.

While the proposal adds funding to try to address the concerns of wavering Republican senators, such as allowing consumers to use tax subsidies, but only for plans that cover catastrophic illnesses, and $45 billion to combat the opioid epidemic, while withdrawing an earlier proposal to give tax breaks to health insurance executives, the bill would still make health care costs skyrocket for sicker patients. Medical groups and insurers say this proposal would destroy the health care market.

The following is a statement by Monterroso:

“How many times and in how many ways can the Republican-controlled Congress insult the people they are supposed to represent, especially when it comes to health care? They are so concerned about protecting the wealthy health insurance companies that they are ready to destroy access to affordable health care for the rest of us.

“Their plan still includes rolling back Medicaid that was expanded under ACA and which benefits millions of children, disabled people, and the elderly, including millions of Latinos.

“GOP Senate leaders actually made their plan worse by including an amendment by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, which creates two classes of people — the healthy and the sick, with the sick being priced out of coverage.

“Sadly, some senators, like Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona seem open to the idea, in the wake of reports that the president is ready to fund a GOP opponent in next year’s Arizona primary.

“Stop playing with our lives. Stop playing politics. The senate should represent us, not the president, not the insurance industry and not any other interest that threatens to take away our access to affordable health care that has greatly benefitted Latinos.”