Congress

Missouri Health Care for All Decries U.S. House Vote to Eliminate Basic Insurance Protections in Affordable Care Act and Slash Medicaid

Statement from Missouri Health Care for All, in response to House Leadership American Health Care Act

After weeks of arm-twisting to try to garner enough votes, U.S. House Leadership rushed a vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) without analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. This bill would repeal many of the insurance protections of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), such as requiring insurance policies to cover prescriptions or maternity care, and make radical cuts to Medicaid funding. The provisions of this bill would result in millions of people losing their health care.

The AHCA is unacceptable for Missourians. Low- and middle-income Missourians would be charged more, and insurance coverage for those with pre-existing conditions would be jeopardized while providing more assistance for wealthy and healthy people. The bill would make coverage less affordable for average Americans and gives tax breaks to big drug and insurance companies.

One of the most concerning aspects of the AHCA is the radical restructuring of the Medicaid program. Under the per capita caps proposed in the bill, the state of Missouri would see deep cuts in federal funding for health care for our most vulnerable neighbors, including children, people with disabilities, and seniors. Per capita caps would put Missourians at risk of devastating outcomes due to lack of health care.

The AHCA flies in the face of what the American people want. Recent public opinion polling shows Americans are looking to Congressional leaders to improve upon the gains made under the ACA, not work to dismantle them. Unfortunately, the American Health Care Act does just that by not requiring insurance policies to cover the basic services we need, and wouldn’t require that certain people, such as women and seniors, are charged fair rates for insurance.

Thousands of Missourians have rallied, called, e-mailed, and written their Congressional delegation to oppose cuts to health care programs and protections. The U.S. Senate should not move ahead with this reckless plan that would make working families and the most vulnerable Americans pay more for less, strip away health coverage from millions of people, and finance tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. Missouri Health Care for All calls on Missouri’s elected officials to heed the voices of their constituents who have urged them to choose a path that makes insurance better for more people.

Contact your Senators here: https://missourihealthcareforall.org/dont-gut-healthcare 

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Missouri Health Care for All is a non-partisan organization founded in 2007 by faith and community leaders on the principle that every Missourian deserves access to quality, affordable health care.