Rep. Donald McEachin on the Republicans’ Failure to Remove Millions from Their Healthcare

My god, so much “winning” by Trump, Ryan et al, it’s hard to stop laughing hysterically. With that, here’s a statement by Rep. Donald McEachin on the demise of Trumpcare/Ryancare.

McEachin on the Republicans’ Failure to Remove Millions from Their Healthcare

WASHINGTON – Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) released this statement in response to Republican Leaders’ decision to cancel the vote on the American Health Care Act:

“The American Health Care Act would have caused millions of Americans to lose their health insurance, and it would have greatly increased costs for millions more — all in the name of cutting taxes for the wealthy. House Republicans pulled this bill because their own members knew passing such a catastrophic policy would have been unhealthy.

“The powerful opposition that TrumpCare sparked across party lines sends a clear message to the Administration and Republican leadership: Americans need and demand access to quality, affordable health care. The Affordable Care Act brought the uninsurance rate to an all-time low, and it has greatly slowed growth in the cost of care. Democrats and Republicans should be working together to build on the progress we’ve made — not casting it aside to benefit wealthy donors and special interests.

“Forcing 24 million people off of their health insurance would have been un-American. Without essential health benefits, insurers could have made coverage bare-bones, dramatically limiting crucial benefits or dropping them entirely. People with pre-existing conditions would not have been able to purchase plans that covered the benefits they need. The list of harms from the AHCA goes on and on.

“My constituents made their fears and concerns over this bill clear to me. As their representative, as a cancer conqueror, and as an American with a conscience, I vowed to vote against this bill that even Republicans – for a variety of reasons – would not vote for. My priority for healthcare legislation is ensuring affordable healthcare for all Americans, and this bill threatened to roll back the progress we have made. We must now work together to put people over politics and concentrate our efforts on improving healthcare coverage for all Americans.”