Friday, September 15, 2017

URGENT: Health care under attack again

Like a zombie, Trumpcare is back. This time it's as a plan called "Graham-Cassidy"--named for Republicans who have bucked Trump in the past. So it's designed to look "moderate."
But we're not fooled. This version will completely eliminate Medicaid expansion, leaving 11 million of the most vulnerable people--including children--without insurance. It will gut protections for anyone with pre-existing conditions, send out-of-pocket costs soaring for people on the individual market, and "defund" Planned Parenthood. Those who keep their insurance "policy" aren't safe either--this bill allows the return of annual or lifetime caps on coverage and allows insurers to charge outrageous amounts for policies that don't cover basic needs, like maternity care and hospitalization. Over the course of the next decade, an estimated 32 million people will lose their insurance.1 No wonder President Trump is so eager to sign it.2
Due to Senate rules, this bill must pass by September 30--so Republicans are trying to fast-track quickly, hoping we won't mobilize in time. We can't let that happen. According to Sen. Cassidy (R-LA), they are only one or two votes away.3 Tying up the phone lines with our calls of outrage can give Republicans pause--and Sens. Collins (R-ME) and Murkowski (R-AK) have expressed deep concern, so we have a chance to win them over and then only need one more "no" vote. This is an all hands on deck moment--can you make a phone call to Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake?
Here are the numbers to call:
  • Senator John McCain
    • Phoenix, AZ: 602-952-2410
    • Prescott, AZ: 928-445-0833
    • Tucson, AZ: 520-670-6334
  • Senator Jeff Flake
Speak in your own words, but here are some points to guide you:
  • My name is _______ and I'm from Tucson. I oppose the Graham-Cassidy bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA is important to me because (if you have a personal story, share it here!).
  • The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion has provided health insurance to millions of the neediest people in the United States. If you vote for Graham-Cassidy, it will result in especially vulnerable populations--like seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children--not getting the care they need.4
  • The Affordable Care Act protects guaranteed coverage for critical care such as comprehensive maternity care, domestic violence screenings, and prescription drug coverage. If you vote for Graham-Cassidy, which allows states to opt out of this required coverage, insurance companies looking to make a buck will stop offering policies covering these vital health care services, which tens of millions of women rely on.5
  • The Affordable Care Act provides important consumer affordability protections, like a ban on lifetime or annual "caps" on coverage. If you vote for Graham-Cassidy, it will literally throw families into bankruptcy.
-- the UltraViolet Action team

Sources:
3. Tweet by Sarah Kliff, Twitter, September 15, 2017
4. Medicaid’s Role for Women, Kaiser Family Foundation, June 22, 2017
5. Summary of the Affordable Care Act, Kaiser Family Foundation, April 25, 2013
Preventive care benefits for women, Healthcare.gov, accessed July 18, 2017
The Affordable Care Act’s Birth Control Benefit Is Working for Women, National Women's Law Center, December 16, 2016
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1 comment:

  1. Jana SegalSeptember 15, 2017 at 2:05 PM

    Just called Sen. Flake and Sen. McCain's Tucson offices. Spoke to staff. I heard that it's a good idea to call, because it keeps staff busy so they can't get their other work done - so they tell their boss.

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