WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, after a narrow majority of the House voted to take health care coverage away from millions of Americans, State Innovation Exchange (SiX) Executive Director Nick Rathod issued the following statement:
“Let’s be clear about how the American Health Care Act (AHCA)—or Trumpcare—will actually impact hardworking families across the country. It will rip health care coverage out of the hands of millions of Americans, drive up costs for millions more, eviscerate Medicaid, and block millions of individuals from accessing preventive and often life-saving care at Planned Parenthood health centers throughout the nation.
“The effect at the state level will be nightmarish—with massive cuts to Medicaid blowing billion-dollar holes through already-strained state budgets and forcing many states to raise taxes or drastically cut funding for education, transportation, and badly needed infrastructure repairs to make up the difference. Children, seniors, and people with disabilities will be more vulnerable to having their coverage taken away, causing incredible harm to millions of individuals and families in this country.
“Today, the conservative House leadership failed the American people in the gravest of ways. They chose to play politics with the basic economic security of millions of families—all to pay for massive tax cuts for corporate CEOs and the richest few. As this disastrous bill makes its way to the Senate, we know the fight goes on, and SiX will continue to support the work of state lawmakers who are fighting every day in our communities to make high-quality, affordable health care accessible to their constituents.”