Statement of Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. on the Passage by the House of Representatives of the American Health Care Act
Yesterday, the United States House of Representatives, by a vote of 217 to 213, passed the American Health Care Act. The American Health Care Act would be a catastrophic blow to the health and welfare of all New Yorkers. As proposed, the plan could leave 2.7 million New York residents without health care coverage. It would reduce federal aid under the Medicaid program to New York State by $4.3 billion. The impact would be both reduced access to health care and a substantial hole in the State Budget. These cuts could force New York State to choose among increased taxes, slashed health care coverage, and devastating health care providers.
Specifically, nursing homes would lose $401 million, home care would be cut by $360 million, and hospitals would be cut by $355 million.
Locally, we have worked long and hard to effectuate a merger between Southampton Hospital and Stony Brook University Hospital that would improve health care to our residents in a financially sustainable manner. This plan could seriously undermine the anticipated benefits of the merger.
Further, the bill would remove the existing guarantee requiring that insurance companies provide health insurance without discrimination to those Americans with pre-existing conditions. There are 8.4 million New Yorkers under the age of 65 with pre-existing conditions.
Finally, the legislation punishes New York State for its policy that supports the reproductive health of women by taking away access to tax credits intended to make health insurance more affordable. The plan also eliminates funding for Planned Parenthood.
In short, today’s vote in the U.S. House of Representatives is an absolute disgrace. The bill discriminates against those with pre-existing conditions, defunds Planned Parenthood, threatens the cost and availability of employer-based health insurance, and hands the rich an obscene tax cut – while the middle class and poor continue to struggle.
I condemn those members of Congress who by voting “yes” put partisan politics ahead of the public good. As the only Independent in the State Legislature, I commend those 213 members who voted no, including 20 Republicans (2 Republicans from New York State). There can be no doubt that the current health insurance system is flawed and needs to be repaired. However, the bill passed yesterday is headed 180 degrees in the wrong direction. It is now up to the members of the U.S. Senate to stop this horrific bill in its tracks so it never makes it to President Trump’s desk.
As a New Yorker and an American, this is against our shared values. It is immoral. It is ill-considered policy. It will cause untold human suffering and it plays politics with the health and lives of our citizens. In the Assembly, I will continue fighting for access to quality, affordable health care. Where the federal government fails, New York must not.
Details about the American Health Care Act (AHCA):
- States could seek waivers to allow insurers to charge people with pre-existing conditions higher premiums, including victims of domestic violence, victims of sexual assault – including rape – and pregnant women.
- Defunds Planned Parenthood.
- States could seek waivers to allow insurers to charge seniors up to five times more for their coverage, the so-called “Age Tax.”
- Rolls back state-by-state expansions of Medicaid, which covers millions of low-income Americans, and greatly reduces Medicaid spending.
- Allows state governments to roll back required coverage for essential services like emergency care, mental health care, substance abuse, prescription drugs, pediatric services and more.
Sources:
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/04/gop-health-care-bill-details-explained-237987
http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/04/news/economy/obamacare-republican-health-care/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/04/obamacare-replacement-bill-approved-in-house.html