|
Dear Ms. Hildegarde Payne,
Today, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, was pulled from the House floor. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, this bill would have slashed coverage for 24 million Americans, raised health care premiums for seniors, increased deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, and required higher payments for less coverage. Instead of improving health care, it would have provided tax breaks for the wealthy, CEOs, and pharmaceutical companies.
I heard from thousands of you who spoke with me, or called, wrote, and emailed to let me know that the AHCA would not have provided the care that you and your families need.
If you are one of the 36,600 individuals in our district who finally gained access to health care through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, your voice was heard. If you are one of the 85,600 constituents in our district to receive coverage through the Medicaid expansion, your voice was heard. If you were worried that you could have been one of the 107,400 constituents in our district estimated to lose coverage over the next ten years should the AHCA have become law, your voice was heard. If you were concerned about the future of health care access for a relative, friend, or neighbor, your voice was heard.
I could not support a plan that eliminates coverage for millions of Americans; a plan that jeopardizes health care access for seniors, individuals with disabilities, children, and those with pre-existing conditions; or a plan that leaves the middle class with even higher health care costs and fewer benefits.
I am committed to improving healthcare for all Americans. Unfortunately, the AHCA would have taken us wrong direction. Our health is the most precious gift we are given, and we cannot afford to put millions of Americans at risk.
I hope you will share your views with me on this, or any other issue, by e-mailing me. You can stay in touch by following me on Facebookand Twitter, or by signing up for my e-newsletter.
Sincerely,
Grace Meng
Member of Congress
|