News

GOP blocks proposal to invest $1.6 Billion in Wisconsin’s health care and lower premiums by 7-11%.

Madison, WI – Today, Wisconsin Republicans stripped Medicaid expansion from Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed state budget in a preliminary vote, setting the stage for the larger budget battle to come before the full legislature.

Expanding Medicaid in Wisconsin will provide affordable health insurance coverage to 82,000 Wisconsinites, bring investments totaling more than $1.6 billion into Wisconsin’s health care system for local hospitals, dental care, childhood lead poisoning, long term care and behavioral health. Evers’ proposal is also expected to lower premiums in the individual marketplace by as much as 7 to 11 percent.

Wisconsin Republicans chose partisan politics over their constituents today in voting against Governor Evers’ proposal. A recent Marquette Poll found that 70 percent of Wisconsinites support the plan to expand the state’s Medicaid program.  

“Wisconsin Republicans are defying the will of the people by blocking Medicaid expansion. Voters in Wisconsin made clear by electing Governor Evers they wanted to fully expand Medicaid and end the relentless attacks from Republicans on their health care. Unfortunately, Wisconsin Republicans are hellbent on destroying Medicaid and their decision not to expand the program proves they’d rather score political points with the Trump administration than see Wisconsinites get the coverage they need,” said Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care.

In the months to come, Protect Our Care will continue to advocate on behalf of every Wisconsinite, all of whom will benefit from the improvements to healthcare accepting the Medicaid expansion would bring – including lower premiums, local investments, and expanded coverage.

Washington, DC — This morning, President Trump delivered a speech on surprise medical billing, and while bipartisan support exists for protecting people from this phenomenon, Trump’s continued war on health care, and especially his push to sell junk insurance plans that also leave patients with outrageous medical bills and crappy coverage make his words today on this issue exceedingly hypocritical. In response, Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement in response;

“Surprise medical billing is a serious issue for patients navigating our health care system, and the Trump administration’s mission to wreak havoc on American health care has made the problem even worse. This administration’s continued promotion of junk plans and support for the disastrous Texas lawsuit to rip away peoples’ coverage make the words in the president’s speech today ring hollow. If President Trump actually cared about Americans’ health care, he will withdraw from the Texas lawsuit, disavow junk plans, and end the relentless sabotage he has inflicted on our system.”

Full press call audio HERE

New Survey From Public Policy Polling Comes As U.S. House Prepares to Consider Legislation to Protect People with Pre-Existing Conditions As White House Threatens To Veto Those Efforts

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH-02) along with Protect Ouhuur Care and Public Policy Polling held a press call today to highlight legislation introduced by House Democrats being voted on this week and next that will improve the nation’s health care system by strengthening protections for people with pre-existing conditions and lowering the cost of health care. Participants highlighted the results of a new poll that showed the majority of Americans support House Democrats’ lower costs, better care agenda.

Rep. Kuster’s bill H.R. 986, the “Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019,” is one of several bills introduced by House Democrats and being voted on this week to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions from the Trump administration’s health care sabotage and to lower the costs of health care. Rep. Kuster’s bill is scheduled for a vote on Thursday, but the White House has already threatened to veto it.

“We cannot go back to a time when Americans with pre-existing conditions can be charged more or denied care,” said Rep. Kuster. “My legislation provides the much-needed pushback against the Trump Administration’s repeated and ongoing sabotage of the Affordable Care Act and our healthcare system. I remain focused on how we can strengthen our healthcare system and I will continue fighting to make the ACA work better for all Americans.”

“Health care champions like Rep. Kuster are working every day to protect millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions from the ongoing sabotage from the Trump administration,” said Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse. “While the president is hellbent on destroying the nation’s health care system, poll after poll shows us that Americans are fed up with his constant sabotage and support legislation from Democrats like Rep. Kuster that protect patients with pre-existing conditions and make health care more affordable.”

Washington, DC — As President Trump heads to Panama City, Florida for a rally today his war on health care wages on, jeopardizing the care and well-being of millions of Floridians. Trump’s Texas lawsuit puts 1.6 million Floridians at risk of losing coverage and if successful would strip protections for more than 7.8 million Floridians with a pre-existing condition. Ahead of the president’s rally today, Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:

“President Trump’s relentless war on health care is putting millions of Floridians at risk of losing coverage. If Trump’s Texas lawsuit to terminate our health care laws is successful, it will strip coverage from over one million Floridians, raise premiums, end protections for millions more with pre-existing conditions, put insurance companies back in charge, and force seniors to pay more for prescription drugs. Maybe instead of coming to Florida to play politics and vent his frustrations at a political rally, the president should explain to Floridians why he’s so hellbent on taking away their health care.”

 

BACKGROUND:

How Trump’s Texas Lawsuit Would Devastate Floridians

• 1.6 Million Floridians Could Lose Coverage. According to the Urban Institute, 1.6 million Floridians would lose coverage by repealing the Affordable Care Act, leading to a 67 percent increase in the uninsured rate.
• 132,000 Florida Young Adults With Their Parents’ Coverage Could Lose Care. Because of the Affordable Care Act, millions of young adults are able to stay on their parents’ care until age 26.
• Protections For The 130 Million People Nationwide With A Pre-Existing Condition Will End.  7,810,300 Floridians have a pre-existing condition, including 973,800 Florida children, 4,086,000 Florida women, and 1,760,800 Floridians between ages 55 and 64.
• Insurance Companies Could Charge Premium Surcharges In the Six Figures. If the Trump-GOP lawsuit is successful, insurance companies would be able to charge people more because of a pre-existing condition. The health repeal bill the House passed in 2017 had a similar provision, and an analysis by the Center for American Progress found that insurers could charge up to $4,270 more for asthma, $17,060 more for pregnancy, $26,180 more for rheumatoid arthritis and $140,510 more for metastatic cancer.
• Women Could Be Charged More Than Men For The Same Coverage. Prior to the ACA, women were often charged premiums on the nongroup market of up to 50 percent higher than they charged men for the same coverage.
• 344,343 Florida Seniors Could Have to Pay More for Prescription Drugs. If the Trump-GOP lawsuit is successful, seniors could have to pay more for prescription drugs because the Medicare “donut” hole would be reopened. From 2010 to 2016, “More than 11.8 million Medicare beneficiaries have received discounts over $26.8 billion on prescription drugs – an average of $2,272 per beneficiary,” according to a January 2017 CMS report. In Florida, 344,343 seniors each saved an average of $1,068.

 

How the GOP War on Medicaid Would Devastate Floridians

• By Refusing To Expand Medicaid, Florida Is Preventing 1,596,000 Floridians From Gaining Coverage. By not fully expanding Medicaid, Florida has restricted its Medicaid program such that only parents earning up to 32 percent of the federal poverty line are eligible to enroll in Medicaid. If Florida expanded its program, 1,596,000 more adults could gain coverage through Medicaid.
• 4,207,568 Floridians With Traditional Medicaid Coverage, Including Seniors, People With Disabilities, And Children, Are At Risk. The Graham-Cassidy bill that President Trump revived in his FY20 budget proposal would turn traditional Medicaid into a per capita cap, meaning the 4,207,568 Floridians who are enrolled on Medicaid would have their care jeopardized. Medicaid disproportionately helps children, seniors in nursing home care and people with disabilities. A study by Avalere found that Graham-Cassidy would cut funding for people with disabilities by 15-percent and 31-percent for children by 2036.
• 2,487,155 Florida Children’s Care Is At Risk. 2,487,155 Florida kids are currently enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP, and their care could be at risk because of funding cuts in the Trump budget.

Washington, DC – Late yesterday, the White House threatened to veto H.R. 986, the “Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019,” ahead of its scheduled vote on the House floor tomorrow. The bill introduced by Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) would protect patients with pre-existing conditions from abuse by insurance companies that is enabled by new Trump administration regulations that sabotage our health care. The Trump administration has also filled a lawsuit to overturn health care laws including protections that stop insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

In response to their shameless veto threat, Protect Our Care chair Leslie Dach released the following statement:

“Democrats are working to protect patients with pre-existing conditions like cancer, diabetes and asthma but the Trump administration is now threatening to veto those efforts. Trump and his Republican allies have tried to repeal these protections for people with pre-existing conditions, then they went to court to strike them down and now they’re threatening to veto them. No matter how many false promises they make to the American people, the record shows they’ll do everything they can to let insurance companies gut coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions.”

On Saturday May 4th, Democratic leaders from across the country marked the two year anniversary of the Republican-controlled House’s passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), and the beer swilling celebration that ensued in the White House Rose Garden, by reminding Americans of the GOP’s reckless vote to take away their health care. Had it passed, the AHCA would have stripped coverage from millions and destroyed the nation’s health care system in the process.

By contrast, Democrats are pursuing an agenda to lower health care costs, improve care, protect people with pre-existing conditions from discrimination and roll back the Trump administration’s sabotage of the health care law.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): “Two years after their shameful vote to pass the #Trumpcare monstrosity, the GOP’s obsession with taking away Americans’ affordable, quality health care remains.” [Speaker Pelosi Twitter, 5/4/19]

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY): “2 years ago, @realDonaldTrump & the GOP laughed in the Rose Garden about their attempt to take health care from millions. It didn’t work then, but they’re still trying. Democrats will never stop fighting to make sure health care is a right, not a privilege.” [Sen. Schumer Twitter, 5/4/19]

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD): “Two years ago today, @HouseGOP & @POTUS cheered passage of #TrumpCare. After failing to enact it into law, the Trump Admin is seeking to invalidate the #ACA, taking away health coverage from millions & ending protections for those with pre-ex conditions.” [Leader Hoyer Twitter, 5/4/19]

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI): “Today marks the 2 year anniversary of House Republicans passing legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act, take away people’s health care & raise costs for people with pre-existing conditions. @realdonaldtrump thought it was funny. It’s not. #ProtectOurCare #WeWontForget.” [Sen. Baldwin Twitter, 5/4/19]

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT): “Two years ago these guys celebrated a vote to take health care away from 23 million Americans. Dozens of them were kicked out of office by voters this fall and we are still fighting against GOP attempts to sabotage our health care system.” [Sen. Murphy Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL): “Two years ago today, every House Democrat voted against #Trumpcare — legislation that would have left millions more Americans without health coverage. Now, Democrats are continuing their commitment to expanding access to health care by protecting the ACA.” [Rep. Rush Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL): “It’s been two years since House Republicans passed #TrumpCare and then went to have premature celebration in the Rose Garden with @realDonaldTrump. Thankfully that bill never became law, because it would have meant the loss of coverage and protections for millions.” [Rep. Schakowsky Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA): “First, Trump got the GOP Congress to vote to repeal the ACA. They failed. Repeatedly. Now, Trump has asked the court to dismantle the entire ACA, threatening the health of millions. We will fight in Congress, the courts, anywhere we need to protect your health care.” [Rep. Schiff Twitter, 5/5/19]

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN): “Two years ago @HouseGOP celebrated the passage of #TrumpCare. Thankfully it didn’t pass the Senate. Under their plan more than 20 million Americans would have lost coverage and premiums would have increased for everyone else.” [Rep. Cohen Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN): “Ripping health care from millions of people is nothing to celebrate, but that’s just what Republicans did after they passed #Trumpcare two years ago today. Thank goodness Americans’ tireless activism kept this awful bill from becoming law. Let’s keep striving to #ProtectOurCare.” [Rep. Carson Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL): “When you have breast and kidney cancer, the last thing you should be doing is focusing on how you would pay for health care. Grateful Americans banded together to defeat #Trumpcare!” [Rep. Wilson Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA): “5,489,162 Pennsylvanians live with a pre-existing condition. And every single one would have lost protections against insurance discrimination under the #Trumpcare legislation passed by the @HouseGOP two years ago today.” [Rep. Cartwright Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA): “Remember this? 2 years ago today, the @HouseGOP voted to gut protections for people with #preexistingconditions & take away health care of millions. Then, they threw themselves a party to celebrate. Well, guess what? They are at it again. #ProtectOurCare.” [Rep. Clark Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI): “Two years ago, @HouseGOP passed #Trumpcare. Hard to imagine that 536,800 people in Michigan would have lost their health coverage if #Trumpcare had become law. I’m grateful to everyone who spoke out and fought against this dangerous bill.” [Rep. Kildee Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ): “It’s been two years since Republicans voted to sabotage our nation’s health care system- and then pat themselves on the back for doing it. Here’s a look at the damage #Trumpcare would’ve done to YOUR coverage:” [Rep. Gallego Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-CA): “If passed into law, #Trumpcare would’ve been a disaster, causing over 2.5 million Californians to lose their health coverage. Proud to say I voted against this senseless legislation two years ago & am now working to ensure every American has access to quality, affordable care.” [Rep. Barragan Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA): “REMINDER: two years ago today, @realDonaldTrump & @HouseGOP applauded themselves for passing legislation that would’ve sabotaged our healthcare system and kicked over 20 million people off their insurance. #Trumpcare.” [Rep. Gomez Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ): “Today marks two years since the @HouseGOP passed their deadly #Trumpcare bill. If it had become law, it would have forced Arizona seniors to pay a $13,977 age tax on their health care by 2026. #ProtectOurCare.” [Rep. Kirkpatrick Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Andy Levin (D-MI): “#Trumpcare would have been an economic disaster for Michigan, costing 65,286 people in our state their livelihoods. Americans banded together to defeat it, and we’ll band together to expand the ACA and make health care more affordable. #ForThePeople.” [Rep. Levin Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL): “If #TrumpCare had become law, it would have forced: $7,189 age tax on Florida seniors’ health care by 2026. 7,839,642 Floridians with pre-existing conditions to lose protections. Today, Americans are standing up to #ProtectOurCare.” [Rep. Mucarsel-Powell Twitter, 5/4/19]

Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL): “Two years ago today, House Republicans celebrated passage of #TrumpCare that would have left millions of Americans without coverage. While the Administration continues to sabotage the ACA, I’m working to protect the affordable, quality health care we deserve. #ForThePeople.” [Rep. Underwood Twitter, 5/4/19]

Washington, DC — On May 4, 2017, the Republican-controlled House passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a disastrous piece of legislation that would have dismantled the Affordable Care Act and ripped health care away from 20 million Americans. This week, Protect Our Care released fact sheets and released a new digital ad highlighting the importance of May 4th, 2017 and the dangerous agenda the Republican Party continues to push. To mark the AHCA vote’s two year anniversary, Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“Two years ago today, Republican’s went to the White House to dance on the grave of the Affordable Care Act, but as it turned out they were digging their own political graves in the process. While they patted each other on the back and swilled beer to celebrate the passage of a bill to strip protections for 130 million people with pre-existing conditions and rip health care away from 20 million Americans, the American people took note and elected a pro-health care Democratic Majority in the House and sent scores of Republicans packing. Even though the GOP bill went on to fail, leading to a crushing defeat in the midterms, Republicans and President Trump have continued to sabotage America’s health care in the courts, in Congress, and within the administration. To mark this infamous day in our history we will continue to hold Republicans accountable for their all-out war on American health care.”

 

See the full list here

 

Background:

Fact Sheet: Two Year Anniversary of GOP’s Health Care Repeal

Two years ago, on May 4, 2017, the Republican House of Representatives passed the so-called “American Health Care Act,” or AHCA, a health repeal bill that would have cut coverage, increased costs, and eliminated protections for millions of Americans. The repeal plan allows insurers to charge people over 50 five times more for coverage – what AARP has called an ‘Age Tax’. And, the plan guts protections for people with pre-existing conditions, raising costs for a cancer patient by $150,000.

Last November, their votes on this bill lost Republicans the House in a landslide election for Democrats who ran on ending the the GOP war on health care and protecting people with pre-existing conditions.

Health Care Repeal Would Have Raised Health Care Costs, Especially For Older Americans

Raise Premiums By Double Digits. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that a key part of the American Health Care Act, repealing the requirement that most people have health insurance and was enacted as part of the GOP tax bill, will premiums 10 percent next year.

Impose An Age Tax – Older Americans Pay Nearly $12,000 More. The American Health Care Act would have imposed what the AARP calls an “age tax” on older Americans by cutting the amount of assistance older people receive and by allowing insurers to charge people over 50 fives times more. Nationally, out-of-pocket costs for older people could have increased by as much as $11,917 by 2026.

Surcharge For People With Pre-Existing Conditions. The American Health Care Act would have allowed states to eliminate community rating, meaning insurers would be able to charge people with pre-existing conditions more. This surcharge could have been in the tens of thousands of dollars and even six figures: up to $4,270 for asthma, $17,060 for pregnancy, $26,180 for rheumatoid arthritis and $140,510 for metastatic cancer.

Health Care Repeal Would Have Caused Millions of Americans To Lose Coverage

23 Million Would Have Lost Coverage. By 2026, 23 million U.S. residents would have lost coverage under this bill.

14 Million With Medicaid Would Have Lost Coverage. Under the American Health Care Act, 14 million with Medicaid would have lost their coverage by 2026.

441,300 U.S. Veterans Would Have Lost Coverage. Under the American Health Care Act, 441,400 veterans would have lost their Medicaid coverage nationally.

Health Care Repeal Would Have Meant Weaker Protections For Americans

52 Million Americans Have A Pre-Existing Condition, And Were At Risk For Paying More. The American Health Care Act would have weakened key protections of the Affordable Care Act by allowing states to let insurers charge 52 million Americans with pre-existing conditions more, among other provisions. The bill would have made it more likely insurers would cherrypick young and healthier people, causing costs to skyrocket for older, sicker people.

Women’s Health Would Be In Jeopardy. The American Health Care Act would have blocked millions from accessing birth control, cancer screenings, and other basic health care at Planned Parenthood health centers, eliminated the guarantee of maternity coverage, and newborn care, and allowed insurers to discriminate against women.

Health Care Repeal Would Have Ended Medicaid As We Know It

Medicaid Would Have Been Slashed By $839 Billion. The American Health Care Act would have ended Medicaid as we know it, a 50 year old program that helps seniors, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations get the care they need. It would have slashed Medicaid by $839 billion, ended the funding needed to expand Medicaid, and converted the program into a “per capita cap”, thus ending guaranteed coverage for everyone who has it. As a result, the Republican repeal bill put the health of 77 million, or one in five Americans, who count on Medicaid in grave danger. These cuts would have strained state budgets and undermined efforts to combat the opioid crisis.

Health Care Repeal Would Have Cut Health Care To Give Tax Breaks To The Rich

• CNN Money: Republican health care plan has a big tax break for execs’ pay [3/7/17]
• Buzzfeed: The Republican Health Care Plan Includes A Tax Break For Insurance CEOs [3/6/17]

Washington, DC — Today, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a new report detailing how Republican sabotage will strip Americans of health care and Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement in response:

“The latest CBO report on health insurance coverage shows that Republicans’ relentless sabotage agenda continues to threaten Americans’ lives and financial security. President Trump and his Republican allies in Congress are more than willing to see two million more of their fellow citizens go without health insurance next year thanks to their harmful sabotage agenda. While Republicans continue to promote useless junk plans, attach onerous paperwork requirements on state Medicaid programs, and seek to overturn the our health care in court, millions of Americans – and our entire health care system – will suffer from their reckless policies.”

 

BACKGROUND

The Congressional Budget Office Cited The Administration’s Embrace Of Junk Plans As One Reason That Two Million More People Are Projected To Be Uninsured In 2020 Than Previously Estimated. “In 2019, 30 million people under age 65, or 11 percent of that population, are projected to be uninsured, an increase from 29 million in 2018 and 28 million in 2017 (see Figure 1-4). Increases in health insurance premiums and the elimination of the individual mandate penalty have contributed to that rise. An additional factor in the increase is people’s becoming aware of and enrolling in coverage (such as short-term, limited-duration plans that do not provide comprehensive major medical coverage) from sources that do not meet CBO and JCT’s definition health of health insurance.” [Congressional Budget Office, May 2019]

The Same Provision Of The GOP Tax Law That The Trump Administration Is Using To Argue That The Affordable Care Act Be Overturned In Federal Court Is Causing 7 Million More People To Be Uninsured In 2021 Than Would Have Been Otherwise. “In projections by the Congressional Budget Office and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), the repeal of the penalty for not having health insurance starting in 2019 results in less insurance coverage. In total, the effects of that repeal that are described here are similar to those that CBO and JCT incorporated in the baseline a year ago. By 2021, in the current baseline, 7 million more people are uninsured than would have been if the individual mandate penalty had not been repealed; subsequently, that number remains roughly constant to the end of the projection period in 2029.” [Congressional Budget Office, May 2019]

Even More People Would Be Uninsured Because Of Republican Sabotage If Not For State Efforts To Expand Medicaid. “The effect of the repeal is partially offset by increases in coverage for other reasons. Most important, in the agencies’ projections, additional states expand eligibility for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and more people enroll in certain types of health insurance—specifically, those that are exempt from regulations governing the nongroup market but that nonetheless provide major medical coverage.” [Congressional Budget Office, May 2019]