INDIANAPOLIS – Hours before yesterday’s vote by Congressmen Messer, Rokita, and House Republicans to gut the Affordable Care Act, Hoosiers gathered at a press conference to tell their stories about how they’ve benefitted from the ACA and call on Republicans to protect their care. Constituents discussed how they and their loved ones have benefitted from protections for pre-existing conditions, HIP 2.0 and essential health benefits coverage—all of which would be in jeopardy under the new proposal.
House Republicans disregarded their constituents and voted for their proposal, even though initial estimates show the bill would strip away health insurance from tens of millions of Americans. With Congressmen Messer and Rokita celebrating the passage of their heartless health insurance plan, millions of Hoosiers with stories just like those told at yesterday’s press conference are getting fired up to oppose them.
From Indiana Public Media: Democrats Blast Messer, Rokita And GOP For Health Care Vote
The Indiana Democratic Party says a Congressional vote to repeal and replace Obamacare takes health care away from millions just to fulfill a political promise.
The Republican health care bill includes a trillion dollar tax cut – mostly for wealthier Americans – and cuts billions in government spending.
…But Indianapolis resident Ali Brown says the replacement Messer supports is, in her words, “terrifying.” Brown and her newborn son both have pre-existing conditions as a result of labor complications. And the GOP bill allow states to waive rules that bar insurers from charging higher prices to customers with pre-existing conditions.
“I don’t know how, if our insurance changes because of those pre-existing conditions, we’ll be able to afford it next year,” Brown says.
Indiana Democratic Party Chair John Zody says the bill is a result of Republicans’ misplaced priorities.
“Since January, they’ve governed like their first priority has been tax cuts for the rich and trying to pay for it by taking health care away from working families. That’s not what anybody voted for in November,” Zody says.
And Zody says the health care reform bill is no solution at all.“Their solution is getting worse. Their solution will throw 24, 26 million people off of health care in 10 years,” Zody says. “Their solution has not been scored by the nonpartisan office who looks at the fiscal impact of these things.”
Zody adds that Messer and fellow Republican Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Brownsburg) – both potential U.S. Senate candidates – will pay for their votes in next year’s election.
From the IndyStar: Obamacare repeal likely to factor into Indiana’s Senate race
Just moments after Indiana Republicans helped narrowly pass a repeal of the Affordable Care Act in the U.S. House, local and national Democrats pounced on the two congressman considering a run for Indiana’s U.S. Senate seat in 2018 — a testament to the large role Thursday’s health care vote is likely to play in the race.
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But Democrats say the measure would roll back consumer protections and cause millions of people to lose their insurance coverage.Competing claims about the bill, known as the American Health Care Act, are likely to echo well into the campaign for Indiana’s Senate seat in 2018.
…Democratic political operations at the state and federal level wasted no time in blasting Messer and Rokita. They noted that Republicans chose to vote on the bill before a full analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates the costs and benefits of proposed legislation.
“Republicans shoved this bill through the House as fast as they can because every time Americans take a look at their proposal, they see a glaring new problem,” said John Zody, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party. “If this proposal is signed into law, not only will tens of millions of Americans lose their health insurance, but countless others will face sky-rocketing premiums due to pre-existing conditions that are no fault of our own.”
From WTHR: Hoosiers keep close watch as health care law moves through Congress
INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – President Donald Trump vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and Thursday, he got one step closer.
The House of Representatives passed a bill to replace the health care law, despite setbacks earlier in the year. The sticking point in the proposal is the impact on those with pre-existing conditions – two words that put shivers through families all across Indiana and the nation.
…Ali Brown gave birth to her son Dylan 3 1/2 months ago. There were medical issues at the time of his birth and after that have both mother and son living with the term “pre-existing conditions.”
So Brown is wondering what that could actually mean if this were to also pass out of the Senate. Many Senators consider this bill too harsh and it is expected to undergo substantial changes when it will be heard in the Senate.
“Now knowing he is labeled this way, I know we will have insurance through this year, because that is how the insurance cycles work. We don’t know if our insurance changes because of pre-existing conditions, if I will be able to afford it next year, because I am carrying both him and my husband, so it could get pretty dramatic for us,” Brown said. “So by taking away that, it will make our lives exceedingly difficult and Dylan is going to live a long healthy, happy life, but for his life, he will be labeled a pre-existing condition baby and may not be covered. This will really affect us and many Hoosiers.”
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