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Michiganders Stand Up to Say, “It’s Time to End the Republican War on Health Care”

Local Health Care Advocates Join Protect Our Care to Call for an End to GOP Attacks on Michiganders’ Health Care

Dr. Matt Longjohn speaks in front of Care Force One in Kalamazoo.

MICHIGAN – Today, Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour arrived in Michigan to call attention to Republicans’ ongoing war on health care care. Joined by Dr. Matt Longjohn, Sean McCann, former Rep. Mark Schauer, State Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr., State Rep. Sam Singh, and cancer survivor Laura Packard, events in Lansing and Kalamazoo highlighted the actions Republicans are taking to harm Michiganders’ care and called on Attorney General Bill Schuette to work instead to protect our care.

“I’m alive because of the Affordable Care Act,” said Packard. “I’m a stage four cancer survivor and I’m on this tour to defend our attacks against the GOP. President Trump may have blocked me on Twitter, but he can’t stop me and the American people from fighting to protect our care.”

Support for the ACA was echoed by Dr. Matt Longjohn and Sean McCann.

“The [Affordable Care Act] was good at protecting patients. It made sure that insurance companies weren’t selling junk on the marketplace. It made sure that there was coverage for essential health benefits and pre-existing conditions,” said Longjohn. “When the Republicans in the House in Washington, D.C. are assailing protections for pre-existing conditions and allowing insurance companies to sell junk, they’re putting corporate interests ahead of people’s interests.”

“One of things I’m most proud of that I had the opportunity to do was to press a button on my desk as a state representative and expand Medicaid in Michigan to over 600,000 citizens,” said McCann. “At the end of the day, the question that we have to ask in our hearts is…who do you trust? Who do you trust to expand our health care coverage and take care of our Michigan citizens? And who has constantly wanted to chip away, take that away, and repeal those benefits? It’s clear the Republican Party wants to do that.”

Longjohn, McCann, and Packard were joined by Christine Morse, a breast cancer survivor who spoke about the need for maintain protections for those with pre-existing conditions, and Erin Knott, Kalamazoo Vice Mayor and former state director of Enroll America, who spoke of the long fight to pass health care reform and the benefits Michiganders have seen since the ACA was signed into law.

Before heading to Kalamazoo, Care Force one was at the State Capitol in Lansing with former Representative Mark Schauer, State Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr., State Rep. Sam Singh, and local health care advocates including Amanda Itliong, who is battling ovarian cancer for the fourth time in ten years.

State Rep. Sam Singh speaks in front of Care Force One in Lansing.

“To me, it’s preposterous that we have to have this conversation in 2018,” said State Rep. Sam Singh. “Republicans don’t understand how important health care is… For us to see [Republicans] turning their back on our common citizens is beyond me.”

Amanda Itliong speaks in front of Care Force One in Lansing.

“In 2015, I was left for dead by medical science,” said Itliong. “I know personally that my family and friends would go bankrupt to do anything to help me, but i think that’s a really lousy thing to have to do for so many of us in Michigan, and that’s the fear that we live with that’s on top of so many other people’s chronic illness.

“Mike Bishop is my representative, but he doesn’t represent me or others with pre-existing conditions.”

The elected officials and Itliong were joined by health care expert Charles Gaba, who spoke of the gains made under the Affordable Care Act.

At today’s events, Michigan residents, health care advocates, elected officials, and members of Protect Our Care detailed the numbers ways in which Republicans have attacked health care, and how these actions have cut coverage and increased costs for Michiganders. Because of the Republican repeal-and-sabotage agenda:

  • Michiganders could see their premiums rise by as much as 11 percent next year. It’s expected that 40 year old Michiganders would face paying an extra $500 for marketplace coverage in 2019 because of sabotage of the ACA.
  • Michigan expanded Medicaid under the ACA and the more than 655,000 Michiganders who have gained coverage because of this program would find their care at risk if the law were repealed.
  • 284,000 Michiganders who have obtained health insurance through the ACA marketplace could lose their coverage if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit; and protections for 4.1 million Michiganders, including more than 300,000 in MI-08 living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy.
  • Hundreds of billions of dollars have been cut from Medicare.
  • Dozens of hospitals in rural areas have closed, including Cheboygan Memorial Hospital (2012) in Michigan, exacerbating the care and coverage gaps that exist for families in America’s rural communities.
  • Representative Mike Bishop voted for a health care repeal bill that would cause 23 million people to lose coverage and gut protections for people with pre-existing condition and voted for a budget amendment that would cut Medicaid by $700 billion over ten years, $114 billion in a single year alone. Bishop also voted for a tax scam that doubled as a sneaky repeal of the Affordable Care Act  by kicking 13 million people off of their insurance and raising premiums by double digits for millions more.
  • Representative Fred Upton helped author and passed a health care repeal bill that would cause 23 million people to lose coverage and gut protections for people with pre-existing condition and voted for a budget amendment that would cut Medicaid by $700 billion over ten years, $114 billion in a single year alone. Upton also voted for a tax scam that doubled as a sneaky repeal of the Affordable Care Act  by kicking 13 million people off of their insurance and raising premiums by double digits for millions more.
  • Attorney General Bill Schuette opposed expanding Medicaid to over 650,000 Michiganders and has promised to work to repeal the Affordable Care Act as governor.  

Later today, “Care Force One” will head to South Bend, Indiana with Mayor Pete Buttigieg. For more information, please visit protectourcarebustour.com.

Hoosiers Stand Up to Say, “It’s Time to End the Republican War on Health Care”

Local Health Care Advocates Join Protect Our Care to Call for an End to GOP Attacks on Hoosiers’ Health Care

Tonya Prifogle, with her son, Colton, speaks at the Indiana State Capitol.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – This afternoon, Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour arrived in Indianapolis to call attention to the Republicans’ ongoing war on health care. Headlined by State Rep. Ed DeLaney and cancer survivor Laura Packard, the event highlighted the actions Republicans are trying to harm Hoosiers’ care and called on Attorney General Curtis Hill to work instead to protect our care.

“I’m alive because of the Affordable Care Act,” said Packard. “I’m a stage four cancer survivor and I’m on this tour to defend our attacks against the GOP. President Trump may have blocked me on Twitter, but he can’t stop me and the American people from fighting to protect our care.”

Pakard’s remarks were echoed by Rep. DeLaney.

“About 2.7 million Hoosiers have a pre-existing condition, which means that virtually every family has a pre-existing condition that was not able to be insured before the Affordable Care Act,” said State Rep. DeLaney. “In a funny way, birth is a pre-existing condition. We’re all gonna get sick sooner or later, and the only issue is whether we get a single sickness or a chronic sickness, so we need to protect this.”

Packard and Rep. DeLaney were joined at the State Capitol by Indiana AFL-CIO President Brett Voorhees, who praised Sen. Joe Donnelly for his steadfast support for Hoosiers’ health care, and Tonya Prifogle and her son Colton, who was born with a rare genetic disorder, and cancer survivor Jessica Hoag, who spoke of the importance of maintaining protections for Hoosiers with pre-existing conditions.

At today’s event, Indianapolis residents, health care advocates, elected officials, and members of Protect Our Care detailed the numbers ways in which Republicans have attacked health care, and how these actions have cut coverage and increased costs for Hoosiers. Because of the Republican repeal-and-sabotage agenda:

  • Hoosiers will see their premiums rise by an average of 5.7 percent next year. It’s expected that 40 year old Hoosiers would face paying an extra $700 for marketplace coverage in 2019 because of sabotage of the ACA.
  • Indiana expanded Medicaid under the ACA and the roughly 400,000 Hoosiers who have gained coverage because of this program would find their care at risk if the law were repealed.
  • 147,000 Hoosiers who have obtained health insurance through the ACA marketplace could lose their coverage if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit; and protections for 2.7 million Hoosiers living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy.
  • Hundreds of billions of dollars have been cut from Medicare.
  • Dozens of hospitals in rural areas have closed exacerbating the care and coverage gaps that exist for families in America’s rural communities.
  • Mike Braun supports a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Braun also supports the Trump administration’s lawsuit that could cause as many as 2.7 million Hoosiers with a pre-existing condition to lose their care.

The full event can be seen here. Tomorrow, “Care Force One” will head to Lansing, Michigan. For more information, please visit protectourcarebustour.com.

Mayor John Cranley, Ohioans with Pre-Existing Conditions Gather to Demand that Republicans #ProtectOurCare

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“Care Force One” Stops in Cincinnati on National Bus Tour

(Cincinnati, Ohio) – Today, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley joined health care providers and Ohioans with pre-existing conditions at City Hall in Cincinnati to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.

The event was part of Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour calling attention to Republicans’ attempts to sabotage health care, including a lawsuit that would gut protections for Ohioans with pre-existing conditions.

The 4,830,900 Ohioans living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.

Mayor John Cranley kicked off the event, saying, “We all have somebody in our families with a pre-existing condition. This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s an American issue.”

Mayor Cranley was joined by Dr. William Sawyer, as well as Steph Barnard and Laura Packard, who have pre-existing conditions and talked about the protections provided to them under the Affordable Care Act.

“When the Health insurance companies, under the old rules, could deny care payment,” said Dr. William Sawyer of Doctors for America. “The young people of America are going to be the victims of this system if you don’t get involved and say, ‘we want access to affordable care.’”

Steph Barnard, an Ohioan with a pre-existing condition, said, “For our friends and family members with pre-existing conditions, the ACA is literally a matter of life and death. We all stand to lose a lot if protections like these are repealed. That’s why we’re fighting here today.”

“I am still here today thanks to the Affordable Care Act,” cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard said. “But I need to keep my health care, as do 130 million with pre-existing conditions. That’s why we’re here – to hold our elected officials accountable for their votes to take away our care.”

“The stakes have never been higher for Ohioans’ health care,” said TJ Helmstetter of Protect Our Care. “Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, 664,000 Ohioans have gained health insurance. This is all in jeopardy due to Republicans’ repeal and sabotage agenda, including their ludicrous lawsuit and Rep. David Joyce’s mission to repeal health care. Mainers want this Republican war on health care to end, plain and simple. That’s why we’re here today.”

You can watch the event here. The bus now travels to Indianapolis. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.

West Virginians Stand Up to Say, “It’s Time to End the Republican War on Health Care”

Local Health Care Advocates Join Protect Our Care to Call for an End to GOP Attacks on West Virginians’ Health Care

Talley Sergent speaks in front of Care Force One in Charleston.

WEST VIRGINIA – Today, Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour arrived in West Virginia to call attention to the Republicans ongoing war on health care care. Joined by Delegates Scott Brewer, Linda Longstreth, and Barbara Fleischauer; Talley Sergent; Reverend Janice Hill; and cancer survivor Laura Packard, events in Charleston, Morgantown, and Parkersburg highlighted the actions Republicans are taking to harm West Virginians’ care and called on Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to work instead to protect our care.

“I’m alive because of the Affordable Care Act,” said Packard. “I’m a stage four cancer survivor and I’m on this tour to defend our attacks against the GOP. President Trump may have blocked me on Twitter, but he can’t stop me and the American people from fighting to protect our care.”

Similar themes were echoed by Delegate Brewer and Sergent, who highlighted Attorney General Morrisey’s lawsuit and Representative Alex Mooney’s vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, each of which would take away West Virginians’ care.

“The impact of this lawsuit and the actions of Congress are real,” said Sergent, who spoke of the more than 700,000 West Virginians who could lose their care if the lawsuit signed onto by Attorney General Patrick Morrisey were to be successful. “Lives are on the line.”

“Too often we’ve watched as Washington politicians have voted to take health care away from millions,” said Delegate Brewer. “Now is the time for D.C. politicians to hear our voices. Let them hear that we’re not gonna take this anymore.”

Delegate Brewer and Sergent were joined by Doris Selko of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, who spoke of the difficulties West Virginians had in obtaining care before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, and Gary Zuckett of West Virginia Citizen Action Group, who praised Senator Joe Manchin for his consistent leadership on the issue of health care.

Before heading to the State Capitol, Care Force one was in Morgantown with Delegates Linda Longstreth and Barbara Fleischauer and local health care advocates.

Delegate Barbara Fleischauer speaks in front of Care Force One in Morgantown.

“We have 168,000 people on the Affordable Care Act, most of them in the southern part of the state,” said Delegate Longstreth. “Why do we have to argue about people being able to have health care for themselves and their families?”

“We have 1.2 million people in West Virginians. 738,000 of them live with a pre-existing condition,” added Delegate Fleischauer. “25,000 West Virginians have gotten care for their addiction through Medicaid. We don’t want to kick these people into the cold.”

Delegates Longstreth and Fleischauer were joined in Morgantown by Kelly Allen, a former health care navigator who spoke about being diagnosed with a pre-existing condition while attending West Virginia University, and the hard-working West Virginians she has seen gain insurance under the ACA.

Earlier in the day, another group of local health care advocates made their voices known in Parkersburg.

Reverend Janice Hill speaks in front of Care Force One in Parkersburg.

“I’m a pastor, I care desperately for the people of my congregation and the people of West Virginia,” said Reverend Janice Hill. “How can anyone in heaven’s name think it’s okay to deny health care to people who need it? West Virginia is especially susceptible to not having health care – how can both of our senators not be for it?”

Her sentiments were echoed by medical provider Simon Hargus, who noted that access to health care was necessary to tackle the opioid crisis; nurse Kim Cramer, who emphasized the importance of protections for West Virginians with pre-existing conditions; and Julie Schleier, who was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease which costs $11,000 per month to treat.

At today’s events, West Virginia residents, health care advocates, elected officials and members of Protect Our Care detailed the numbers ways in which Republicans have attacked health care, and how these actions have cut coverage and increased costs for West Virginians. Because of the Republican repeal-and-sabotage agenda:

  • West Virginians will see their premiums rise by an average of 14.85 percent next year. It’s expected that 40 year old West Virginians would face paying an extra $1,390 for marketplace coverage in 2019 because of sabotage of the ACA.
  • West Virginia expanded Medicaid under the ACA and the more than 225,000 West Virginians who have gained coverage because of this program would find their care at risk if the law were repealed.
  • 29,674 West Virginians who have obtained health insurance through the ACA marketplace could lose their coverage if a judge sides with West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit; and protections for 738,000 West Virginians, including more than 257,000 in WV-02 living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy.
  • Hundreds of billions of dollars have been cut from Medicare.
  • Dozens of hospitals in rural areas have closed.
  • Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is a staunch opponent of the Affordable Care Act who has vowed to try to repeal the law.  Although he claims to support protections for people with pre-existing conditions, Morrisey was one of the first state attorneys general to join lawsuit that would roll back that coverage and eliminate the protections for pre-existing conditions that exist in the ACA. Morrisey’s participation in the suit puts the health of the 737,900 West Virginians living with a pre-existing condition at risk and would take us back to the days when insurers routinely denied coverage or charged unaffordable premiums to people with pre-existing conditions, including cancer, asthma and hypertension.
  • Representatives Alex Mooney and David McKinley voted for and passed a health care repeal bill that would cause 23 million people to lose coverage and gut protections for people with pre-existing condition; voted for a budget amendment that would cut Medicaid by $700 billion over ten years, $114 billion in a single year alone. Mooney and McKinley also voted for a tax scam that doubled as a sneaky repeal of the Affordable Care Act  by kicking 13 million people off of their insurance and raising premiums by double digits for millions more.

Tomorrow, “Care Force One” will head to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Protect Our Care will be joined by Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. For more information, please visit protectourcarebustour.com.

Care Force One Embarks on Second Week of National Tour

As Bus Rolls into West Virginia, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin This Week, Here’s a Look Back at Week 1 On the Road with Protect Our Care

Beginning last Sunday, September 23, Protect Our Care hit the road, taking the health care fight to communities across the country in its first-ever nationwide bus tour. Kicking off in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Saturday, September 23, the bus, “Care Force One,” will make 48 stops across 23 states, covering nearly 12,000 miles.

Joining Protect Our Care’s leaders Brad Woodhouse and Leslie Dach on the journey across the United States are cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Angus King (I-ME), Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, former Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards and more.  

At a time when health care is consistently ranked as a top issue for the public, the tour is highlighting that the Republican war on health care is very much alive, with Republican officials using legislation, regulations and the courts to continue their attacks on protections for the 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, for women, older Americans and Medicaid and Medicare enrollees.

 

Here’s a snapshot of the first week of the tour:

At Care Force One’s campaign kickoff, Senator Chris Murphy, Senator Richard Blumenthal and Ned Lamont were joined by nearly 100 community members outside a Bridgeport Community Health Center to call attention to Republicans’ ongoing war on health care care.

 

“Connecticut made the decision to try to make the Affordable Care Act work, not undermine it like many other states did,” said Senator Chris Murphy. “Think about the 20

 

million Americans who have been given access to health care, whose lives have been changed. Just imagine what that number would be if every other state approached the Affordable Care Act the way Connecticut did.”

On Day 2 of the tour, Senator Angus King and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) joined state representatives and Mainers with pre-existing conditions at Portland City Hall to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.

“We’ve got to continue to fight against repeal,” said Senator Angus King. “I call it a zombie proposal because it keeps coming back, and it’s a terrible idea and we have to keep trying to push that back to try and protect Medicare as well as the Affordable Care Act.”

From there, the bus rolled onto Banger where State Representatives Steve Stanley, Anne Perry, and Ryan Tipping joined former Mayor Joe Baldacci and Mainers with pre-existing conditions at Waterfront Park to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.

“If I didn’t get the treatment I needed when I was younger, I would not be here today. Today, I work with women on the waitlist waiting for treatment. I have 43 women on my waitlist, 36 of which do not have insurance, and I can guarantee you they’d be eligible for Medicaid if it were to expand,” said Ashley Homstead, who works in the recovery community.

After Maine, Care Force One rolled into New York. In Binghamton, Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, Jim Carr of the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans, and local residents rallied for health care and in Kingston Assemblymember Kevin Cahill and small business owner Pat Strong called out the Republican war on health care.

“I’m just a grandmother who has a granddaughter with disabilities,” said Linda Quilty. “She was born as what they call a ‘floppy baby,’ she just didn’t move… Now, she’s eight years old and she’s doing wonderfully well. My concern is – what happens to these babies who don’t get the assistance that she has had? Where do they go without all of that help?”

Then on day 4, the tour took to New Jersey, where pediatrician Dr. Jennifer Chuang, nurse Claudia Storichs, and small business owner Jim Parker were joined by Bruce Davis of the New Jersey NAACP, Seth Hahn of CWA New Jersey and Andy Kim. “I’m the father of two baby boys, and my youngest baby was someone who had significant health problems right from the very beginning,” said Kim. “I remember when the doctors told us that he was dangerously underweight and had real risk. And it reminded me of how many families in this country and this community have health care crises and are unsure of how they’ll be able to afford it.”

From there, the bus rolled on to Pennsylvania, where day 5 was spent with Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, state Senator Vincent Hughes and State Representative Tim Briggs, County Executive and former Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper, Robin Stelly from Pennsylvania Health Action Network and residents living with pre-existing conditions who decried efforts by Republicans to roll back progress on health care.

“Preserving the protections from the Affordable Care Act is one of my top priorities,” State Senator Vincent Hughes said. “Not only were we able to expand Medicaid in the Keystone state, but we saw a dramatic increase in insured individuals. I don’t want to give up that progress and force those in need, especially people with pre-existing conditions, to be without the critical services they must have to survive.”

“Medicaid gave my little girl the ability to swallow and eat, to walk, even to make friends. Medicaid has filled the many gaps in her private insurance, and the protections provided in the ACA for pre-existing conditions and prohibitions on lifetime caps has meant that my daughter can still be covered by insurance,” said Erin Gabriel, whose three children all have special needs, joined Shapiro and the group of advocates.  

On day 6, Care Force One was in Ohio, where American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, Cleveland City Council Members Blaine Griffin and Phyllis Cleveland joined civil rights attorney Betsy Rader and local health care providers and patients to speak out about the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.

“What we’re seeing in the country right now is essentially a group of people that Trump basically represents, who want to keep power and control for those who are rich, raising healthcare costs for all of us,” Weingarten said.

This week, the bus rolls on to West Virginia. Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.

Betsy Rader, Cleveland City Councilmembers, Columbus City Attorney Join “Care Force One” in Ohio Friday

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Cleveland and Columbus Were Stops 10 and 11 on National Bus Tour

(Cleveland, OH & Columbus, OH) – Today, local officials, health care advocates, and Ohioans with pre-existing conditions spoke out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal at events in Cleveland and Columbus.

You can watch the full Cleveland event here, and the full Columbus event here.

The events were part of Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour calling attention to Republicans’ attempts to sabotage health care, including a lawsuit that would gut protections for Ohioans with pre-existing conditions. Cleveland and Columbus were stops ten and eleven of the 48-stop tour.

The 4,830,900 Ohioans living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.

In ClevelandBetsy Rader and Cleveland City Councilmembers Blaine Griffin and Phyllis Cleveland joined Dr. Maria Phillis, Kat Schultz, Maya Brown-Zimmerman, who shared their personal health care stories. In Columbus, City Attorney Zach Klein and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten joined Ann Wightman and Laura Packard, who shared their personal stories.

Here’s what they had to say about health care and Republicans’ repeal-and-sabotage agenda:

Betsy Rader: “Republicans in Congress have waged a war on those in our community who live with pre-existing conditions, undermining their access to health care nearly every opportunity they had. It’s critical that we all stand up, take action, and fight for affordable healthcare.”

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein: “Since President Trump took office, he has made very clear his intention to dismantle the Affordable Care Act – with not just his words, but his actions. His sabotage of health care for millions of Americans is both cruel and a true dereliction of his constitutional duty as President of the United States.”

Cleveland City Councilmember Blaine Griffin: “Republicans in Washington and the Ohio Statehouse aren’t sticking up for health care protections or working with Democrats to lower costs. Instead, they are ending protections for people with pre-existing conditions, driving up costs, and cutting coverage.”

Cleveland Councilmember Phyllis Cleveland: “Since day one of the Trump Administration, the agenda has been to eviscerate the Affordable Care Act. I am proud to stand here to say we here in Ohio and Cleveland have a strong contingent of individuals who care about people and their health care, so we will continue to fight.”

Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers: “Everyone is one pre-existing condition away from bankruptcy. This is about making sure there’s a basic level of health protection for every single of American. We have an obligation to stand up for everyone in this country.”

Local resident Maya Brown-Zimmerman: “I was born with a rare genetic disorder. One of my children inherited it, another is autistic, and another has a brain injury from in-utero. Protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions is not a Democratic or Republican issue. This is a human issue.”

Ohioan Kat Schultz: “I am one of the 4.8 million Ohioans who have a pre-existing condition. I’m deeply concerned that if protections for pre-existing conditions end, I’d be denied health insurance and unable to afford the treatments that keep my alive. Please protect my care, and protect my life.”

Dr. Maria Phillis, OB-GYN: “I went into medicine to help patients. As a physician, I’ve seen people who have benefited from good health care. To watch the ACA slowly become dismantled, piece by piece by politicians that are putting politics over patients, is heart-wrenching.”

Cancer survivor Laura Packard: “I am still here today thanks to the ACA. But I need to keep my health care, as do 130 million with pre-existing conditions. That’s why we’re here – to hold people like Senator Portman accountable for their votes to take away our care.”

Local resident Ann Wightman: “Thirteen years after I got sick and lost my health insurance, the ACA made it possible for my family to purchase real health insurance again. But now, Republicans are using every trick in the book to take it away. I am sick and I am tired. I am not going to take it anymore. I vow today to do everything that I can to fight this sabotage.”

 

You can watch the full Cleveland event here, and the full Columbus event here. The bus now travels to West Virginia before coming back to Cincinnati for an event on Tuesday. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.

City Attorney Zach Klein & AFT President Randi Weingarten Join Ohioans with Pre-Existing Conditions to Demand that Republicans #ProtectOurCare

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“Care Force One” Makes Stop in Columbus on National Bus Tour

(Columbus, Ohio) – Today, City Attorney Zach Klein and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten joined with Ohioans with pre-existing conditions at City Hall to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.

The event was part of Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour calling attention to Republicans’ attempts to sabotage health care, including a lawsuit that would gut protections for Ohioans with pre-existing conditions.

The 4,830,900 Ohioans living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.

“Since President Trump took office, he has made very clear his intention to dismantle the Affordable Care Act – with not just his words, but his actions, said Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein. “His sabotage of health care for millions of Americans is both cruel and a true dereliction of his constitutional duty as President of the United States.”

Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, said, “Everyone is one pre-existing condition away from bankruptcy. This is about making sure there’s a basic level of health protection for every single of American. We have an obligation to stand up for everyone in this country.”

Klein and Weingarten were also joined by Laura Packard and Ann Wightman, Americans with pre-existing conditions, who shared their stories and talked about the protections provided to them under the Affordable Care Act.

Cancer survivor Laura Packard said, “I am still here today thanks to the ACA. But I need to keep my health care, as do 130 million with pre-existing conditions. That’s why we’re here – to hold people like Senator Portman accountable for their votes to take away our care.”

“Thirteen years after I got sick and lost my health insurance, the ACA made it possible for my family to purchase real health insurance again. But now, Republicans are using every trick in the book to take it away,” said local resident Ann Wightman. “I am sick and I am tired. I am not going to take it anymore. I vow today to do everything that I can to fight this sabotage.”

“The stakes have never been higher for Ohioans’ health care,” said TJ Helmstetter of Protect Our Care. “Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, almost 664,000 Ohioans have gained health insurance. This is all in jeopardy due to Republicans’ repeal and sabotage agenda, including their ludicrous lawsuit and Rep. Balderson’s mission to repeal health care. Ohioans want this Republican war on health care to end, plain and simple. That’s why we’re here today.”

You can watch the full video here. The bus now travels to West Virginia before coming back to Cincinnati for an event on Tuesday. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.

 

Betsy Rader Joins City Council Members and Local Residents to Demand that Republicans #ProtectOurCare

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“Care Force One” Makes Stop in Cleveland on National Bus Tour

(Cleveland, Ohio) – Today, Betsy Rader and Cleveland City Council Members Blaine Griffin and Phyllis Cleveland joined Dr. Maria Phillis and Ohoioans with pre-existing conditions in Public Square to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.

The event was part of Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour calling attention to Republicans’ attempts to sabotage health care, including a lawsuit that would gut protections for Ohioans with pre-existing conditions.

The 4,830,900 Ohioans living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.

Cancer survivor Laura Packard kicked off the event, saying, “I am still here today thanks to the Affordable Care Act. But I need to keep my health care, as do 130 million with pre-existing conditions. That’s why we’re here – to hold people like Senator Portman accountable for their votes to take away our care.”

“Republicans in Congress have waged a war on those in our community who live with pre-existing conditions, undermining their access to health care nearly every opportunity they had,” Betsy Rader said. “It’s critical that we all stand up, take action, and fight for affordable healthcare.”

“Republicans in Washington and the Ohio Statehouse aren’t sticking up for health care protections or working with Democrats to lower costs. Instead, they are ending protections for people with pre-existing conditions, driving up costs, and cutting coverage,” Councilmember Blaine Griffin said.

“Since day one of the Trump Administration, the agenda has been to eviscerate the Affordable Care Act,” echoed Councilmember Phyllis Cleveland. “I am proud to stand here to say we here in Ohio and Cleveland have a strong contingent of individuals who care about people and their health care, so we will continue to fight.”

They were joined by Kat Schultz and Maya Brown-Zimmerman, Ohioans living with pre-existing conditions, and Dr. Maria Phillis, who shared their stories and talked about the importance of the Affordable Care Act.

Ohioan Kat Schultz, who has chronic mental and physical illness, said, “I am one of the 4.8 million Ohioans who have a pre-existing condition. I’m deeply concerned that if protections for pre-existing conditions end, I’d be denied health insurance and unable to afford the treatments that keep my alive. Please protect my care, and protect my life.”

“I went into medicine to help patients. As a physician, I’ve seen people who have benefited from good health care. To watch the ACA slowly become dismantled, piece by piece by politicians that are putting politics over patients, is heart-wrenching,” said Dr. Maria Phillis, OB-GYN.

“I was born with a rare genetic disorder. One of my children inherited it, another is autistic, and another has a brain injury from in-utero,” said local resident Maya Brown-Zimmerman. “Protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions is not a Democratic or Republican issue. This is a human issue.”

“The stakes have never been higher for Ohioans’ health care,” said TJ Helmstetter of Protect Our Care. “Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, almost 664,000 Ohioans have gained health insurance. This is all in jeopardy due to Republicans’ repeal and sabotage agenda, including their ludicrous lawsuit and Rep. Balderson’s mission to repeal health care. Ohioans want this Republican war on health care to end, plain and simple. That’s why we’re here today.”

You can watch the full video here. The bus now travels to Columbus then on to West Virginia before coming back to Cincinnati for an event on Tuesday. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro, State Senator Hughes, State Representative Briggs, and Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper Join Pennsylvanians with Pre-Existing Conditions to Demand that Republicans #ProtectOurCare

“Care Force One” Makes Stops in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Erie on National Bus Tour

(Washington, DC) – Today,  Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour finished its drive through the Keystone state with stops in Harrisburg, featuring State Sens. Vincent Hughes and Stacie Ritter and State Rep. Tim Briggs; Pittsburgh, featuring Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro; and Erie, featuring County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, who joined Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.

You can watch the Harrisburg event here.

You can watch the Pittsburgh event here.

You can watch the Erie event here.

The events were part of Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour calling attention to Republicans’ attempts to sabotage health care, including a lawsuit that would gut protections for Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions.

The 5,329,500 Pennsylvanians living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.

“The Affordable Care Act has expanded coverage for millions of Pennsylvanians, especially those living with pre-existing conditions, and I will do everything in my power to protect that coverage.  It is a dereliction of duty for Attorney General Sessions to refuse to defend the constitutionality of the ACA in the Texas v. Azar case. He is wrong, both morally and on the law, and I refuse to allow Pennsylvanians to be bound by the results in that case,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “Now more than ever, we need our elected officials to stand up and defend the protections created by the ACA.”

“I fought to make sure that young people could stay on their parents’ insurance until they turn 26 when I was in Congress,” said County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper. “I’ve continued advocating for access to quality, affordable health care as County Executive, and actions by leaders in Washington to shrink access and make health insurance even more expensive for Pennsylvanians is disturbing. Enough is enough – stop threatening protections for Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions and raising prices on hardworking Americans.”

In Harrisburg, Senator Hughes and Ritter were also joined by State Representative Tim Briggs, Robin Stelly with Pennsylvania Health Action Network (PHAN), and Michael Simmons, who lives with pre-existing conditions and talked about the protections provided to him under the Affordable Care Act.

“Preserving the protections from the Affordable Care Act is one of my top priorities,” State Senator Vincent Hughes said. “Not only were we able to expand Medicaid in the Keystone state, but we saw a dramatic increase in insured individuals. I don’t want to give up that progress and force those in need, especially people with pre-existing conditions, to be without the critical services they must have to survive.”

“The Affordable Care Act drastically expanded coverage to millions of Pennsylvanians and created important consumer protections to prevent discrimination against those living with a pre-existing condition,” said State Representative Tim Briggs. “As Chair of the House Health Committee, I’m committed to protecting the ACA and all that it’s done to improve health care for Pennsylvanians.”

“When you become a parent, you don’t always think about what could happen to your kids until they’re in the hospital. My twin daughters were diagnosed with cancer, and I remember thinking ‘what are the odds?’” said Stacie Ritter. “Going forward, the pre-existing condition protections in the Affordable Care Act will let them lead healthy and productive lives.”

“Not only am I small business owner, but I’m also a cancer survivor. If the ACA disappears, I’ll lose my coverage,” said Michael Simmons of Lancaster. “I couldn’t get individual insurance before the ACA was passed, and I definitely wouldn’t be able to afford insurance if it went away. Protections for people with pre-existing conditions made sure that insurance companies couldn’t turn me away or charge me more just because I had a pre-existing condition.”

In Pittsburgh, Attorney General Shapiro was joined by Dr. Geoffrey Ruben; Erin Gabriel, the mother of children with pre-existing conditions; Nurse Michelle Boyle; Liz Klie, of Planned Parenthood; Lisa Frank, with the SEIU; and Joe DiFazio, a Pennsylvanian living with a pre-existing condition.

Dr. Geffrey Ruben said: “I’ve been an emergency physician for more than 30 years, and I’ve seen firsthand how devastating exclusions for pre-existing conditions was for patients. And I have seen just how beneficial the ACA has been for patients and their families. We need leaders in Washington that will stand up for all Pennsylvanians – especially those many, otherwise productive individuals with pre-existing conditions.”

“Medicaid gave my little girl the ability to swallow and eat, to walk, even to make friends. Medicaid has filled the many gaps in her private insurance, and the protections provided in the ACA for pre-existing conditions and prohibitions on lifetime caps has meant that my daughter can still be covered by insurance,” said Erin Gabriel, also at the Pittsburgh event and a mom to three children with special needs. “Abby now uses hearing aids and glasses, a wheelchair, a speech generating device, custom made braces for her feet, braces for her wrists, and a seizure monitoring device on her wrist. All of them paid for by a combination of our private insurance and Medicaid. All of which could be denied to her if we didn’t have the protections of the ACA.“

“My mother-in-law died at the age of 58 from a treatable chronic disease before the ACA was passed,” said Michelle Boyle. “She was denied insurance because she had a pre-existing condition and couldn’t afford the necessary care and treatment. During my career, I’ve met so many patients that gained health care coverage because of the protections for pre-existing conditions. I’m thankful the ACA created these rules so no one has to experience the tragedy that my family did.”

Liz Klie with Planned Parenthood stated “The ACA has been the greatest legislative advancement in a generation for women. The ACA has brought 62 million women access to no cost birth control, lifesaving screenings and other preventive health services and it ended insurers ability to charge more for coverage based simply on being a woman or having a pre-existing condition.”

“The Affordable Care Act expanded care to millions of Pennsylvania’s workers and protected them from discrimination by health insurance companies,” said Lisa Frank with SEIU. “If lawmakers and courts roll back the ACA, our members and millions of Pennsylvanians will lose coverage and face significantly higher prices.”

“I’m self employed, and if it weren’t for the ACA, I either would be uninsured or I would have had to fold my business and taken whatever job I could that provided insurance,” said Joe DiFazio. “Before the ACA, Insurance companies turned me away because I had a very minor pre-existing condition. Since then, I developed a more serious medical condition, but with the ACA, I’m covered, and at the same reasonable cost as everyone else.”

In Erie County, County Executive Dahlkemper was joined by Tanya Teglo and Terri Hullihan, Pennsylvanians living with pre-existing conditions, who shared their stories and talked about the protections provided to them under the Affordable Care Act.

“Living with Cerebral Palsy has presented me with a unique perspective and a real understanding of why health care and Medicaid benefits are important and should be protected,” said Tanya Teglo while speaking about her pre-existing condition. She explained that, “without Medicaid and protections created by the ACA, it would be tremendously difficult for me to get the care that I need.”

“I got sick two decades ago while working at a company with great benefits, but my illness kept me from working, and I lost my job,” said Terri Hulihan. “But then the ACA was passed into law – including provisions that prevented insurance companies from discriminating against me for having two chronic illnesses – and I was able to get insurance again.”

“The stakes have never been higher for Pennsylvanians’ health care,” said TJ Helmstetter of Protect Our Care. “Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, almost 479,000 Pennsylvanians have gained health insurance. This is all in jeopardy due to Republicans’ repeal and sabotage agenda. Pennsylvanians want this Republican war on health care to end, plain and simple. That’s why we’re here today.”

The bus now travels to Cleveland and onto Columbus for events on Friday. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.

County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper Joins Pennsylvanians with Pre-Existing Conditions and Demands that Republicans #ProtectOurCare

“Care Force One” Makes Stop in Erie on National Bus Tour

(Erie, Pennsylvania) – Today, County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper joined Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions at the Perry Square Park to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal. You can watch the full video here

The event was part of Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour calling attention to Republicans’ attempts to sabotage health care, including a lawsuit that would gut protections for Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions.

The 5,329,500 Pennsylvanians living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.

“I fought to make sure that young people could stay on their parents’ insurance until they turn 26 when I was in Congress,” said County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper. “I’ve continued advocating for access to quality, affordable health care as County Executive, and actions by leaders in Washington to shrink access and make health insurance even more expensive for Pennsylvanians is disturbing. Enough is enough – stop threatening protections for Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions and raising prices on hardworking Americans.”

County Executive Dahlkemper was also joined by Tanya Teglo and Terri Hullihan, Pennsylvanians living with pre-existing conditions, who shared their stories and talked about the protections provided to them under the Affordable Care Act.

“Living with Cerebral Palsy has presented me with a unique perspective and a real understanding of why health care and Medicaid benefits are important and should be protected,” said Teglo while speaking about her pre-existing condition. She explained that, “without Medicaid and protections created by the ACA, it would be tremendously difficult for me to get the care that I need.”

“I got sick two decades ago while working at a company with great benefits, but my illness kept me from working, and I lost my job,” said Hulihan. “But then the ACA was passed into law – including provisions that prevented insurance companies from discriminating against me for having two chronic illnesses – and I was able to get insurance again.”

“The stakes have never been higher for Pennsylvanians’ health care,” said TJ Helmstetter of Protect Our Care. “Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, almost 479,000 Pennsylvanians have gained health insurance. This is all in jeopardy due to Republicans’ repeal and sabotage agenda. Pennsylvanians want this Republican war on health care to end, plain and simple. That’s why we’re here today.”

You can watch the full video here. The bus now travels to Cleveland and onto Columbus for events on Friday. More details but upcoming stops can be found here.