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Nevada Archives — Protect Our Care

In News, Capitol Hill

NEW POLL: Nevadans Strongly Oppose Senator Dean Heller’s Attacks On Health Care

Rosen Up 2 points —  48-46 — in Head-to-head With New Poll Finding Health Care a Top Issue for Majority of Voters, and Strong Opposition to Senator Heller’s Efforts to Repeal the ACA and Pre-existing Conditions Protections

 

Washington DC — Ahead of tonight’s Senate debate between Congresswoman Jacky Rosen and Senator Dean Heller, a new poll from Public Policy Polling (PPP) for Protect Our Care shows Nevadans are deeply motivated by health care this election cycle and have major concerns with Senator Dean Heller’s anti-health care record. Heller voted to cut health care while giving giant tax breaks to wealthy drug and insurance corporations, is a strong supporter of health care repeal and was the architect behind the GOP plan to gut health care for millions of Americans. Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care issued the following statement ahead of the debate:

 

“From authoring repeal legislation that would have jacked up premiums and gutted Medicaid to standing alongside Trump and other Republicans as they work to rip away health care from those of us who need it, Dean Heller won’t stop until he eliminates all protections for millions of Americans. Don’t believe us? Just look at his promise to work to repeal health care again if Nevadans send him back to Washington. Dean Heller has shown his hand and Nevadans are ready to cash out.”

 

Key Findings from the Protect Our Care-PPP Poll of Nevada Voters:

  • A majority of voters (58 percent) say health care is a top issue when casting their vote this November
  • By 23 points, Nevada wants to keep what works and fix what doesn’t in the Affordable Care Act, rather than scrap it and start over.
  • Nevada voters oppose the Trump administration’s lawsuit to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions by a 37 point margin, 59 percent to 22 percent.
  • The survey finds Rosen with a two-point lead over Heller (48-46) and more than half (52 percent) of voters disapprove of Sen. Dean Heller’s job performance
  • More than half of Nevadans (51 percent) have a major concern with Sen. Heller’s efforts to repeal funding for the Medicaid Expansion

 

PPP surveyed 648 Nevada voters from October 15-16, 2018.  The margin of error is +/- 3.85%. This poll was conducted by automated telephone interviews.

 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

What would full repeal of the Affordable Care Act eliminate?

  • Protections for 1,215,300 Nevadans with pre-existing conditions, if they buy coverage on their own
  • Improvements to Medicare, including reduced costs for prescription drugs
  • Allowing kids to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26
  • Ban on annual and lifetime limits
  • Ban on insurance discrimination against women
  • Limit on out-of-pocket costs
  • Medicaid expansion currently covering 15 million people, including more than 200,000 Nevadans

2010:  Heller Voted Against Passage Of The ACA. [HR 3590, Roll Call Vote #165, 3/21/10]

2015:  Heller Voted To Repeal Most Of The ACA. [HR 3762, Roll Call Vote #114, 12/3/15]

Heller Authored Repeal Legislation That Would Have Jacked Up Premiums, Gutted Medicaid And Eliminated Protections For People With Pre-Existing Conditions

  • Graham-Cassidy-Heller Would Raise Costs For People With Pre-Existing Conditions.
  • 200,583 Nevadans Enrolled Through Medicaid Expansion At Risk of Losing Coverage.
  • 63,968 Nevadans Who Receive Marketplace Tax Credits Could Pay More For the Coverage.
In News

Senator Cortez Masto, Rep. Rosen, Rep. Titus, Susie Lee, and Steven Horsford Join Nevadans with Pre-Existing Conditions to Demand that Republicans #ProtectOurCare

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

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2CyFX7KoNCJwvUoDrJ0BVD5EV9vseo9b_-OuIUa-9uwWm72KuqQ98IqipCiO2G0mpIN_4-1koA3PCMQSfMJ8LqJkFMledeKvjpJwKZctcqhgh1CLWm3EdIoNWHR77JHAmcxKKBxz

Sen. Cortez Masto speaks in front of Care Force One in Las Vegas, Nevada.

(Las Vegas, Nevada) – Today, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Congresswoman Jacky Rosen, Congresswoman Dina Titus, former Congressman Steven Horsford, and Susie Lee joined Joe Merlino, Allison Stephens, and Nevadans with pre-existing conditions at University Medical Center of Southern Nevada to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal. You can watch the full press conference 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 Nevadans with pre-existing conditions.

The 1,215,300 Nevadans living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.

“The Trump Administration’s repeated efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act threaten to put the cost of health care out of reach for too many families and once again allow insurance companies to discriminate against people with preexisting conditions. I’ll continue fighting to improve the ACA, make premiums more affordable, and ensure that every Nevadan is able to access quality, affordable health care,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.

“Right now, our health care system is under attack from the Trump Administration and Republicans in Washington,” said Rep. Jacky Rosen. “I’m fighting in Congress to stabilize the markets, bring down the cost of premiums and prescription drugs, and ensure hardworking Nevadans with pre-existing medical conditions are protected. It’s time for Republicans to work with Democrats to protect and improve our health care system instead of sabotaging and dismantling it.”

Rep. Dina Titus echoed this, saying, “I’m proud to stand with the Protect Our Care campaign and the millions of Americans speaking out against the Republican attacks on our health care. Democrats are standing with our children, with our seniors, with women, with persons with disabilities, with the most vulnerable in our communities to say health care is a right for all, not a privilege for the rich and powerful.”

“Health care is a deeply personal issue to me,” said Susie Lee. “My parents nearly lost their home due to medical bills after being denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. I am proud to stand here today to defend the protections and coverage that Nevadans depend on.”

“Donald Trump and Cresent Hardy will make it their number one priority to strip health care away from millions of Americans and thousands of Nevadans with pre-existing conditions. Nevadans need someone to fight for them, not a rubber-stamp for the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act,” said former Rep. Steven Horsford.

Joe Merlino, a Nevadan with a pre-existing condition, said, “If it weren’t for the ACA and its Medicaid expansion, I surely wouldn’t be standing here right now, a cancer survivor, to tell you my story.”

Nevada health care advocate Allison Stephens, who brought her son who has a pre-existing condition to the event, said, “Republicans are using every trick in the book to take away the health care of millions. Nevadans are sick and tired, and we are not going to take it anymore. That’s why we’re here – to hold Republicans accountable for their votes to take away our care.”

“The stakes have never been higher for Nevadans’ health care,” said Andres Ramirez of Protect Our Care Nevada. “Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, approximately 294,000 Nevadans have gained health insurance. This is all in jeopardy due to Republicans’ repeal and sabotage agenda, including Sen. Dean Heller’s votes to repeal health care. Nevadans want this Republican war on health care to end, plain and simple. That’s why we’re here today.”

You can watch the full event here. The bus was in Reno yesterday and travels to Arizona tomorrow. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.

In News, Administration, Capitol Hill

Republicans At All Levels Face Fury from Their Constituents as the Coalition that Defeated Health Care Repeal Takes the Fight Local

As we head into the one-year anniversary of the Senate’s defeat of ACA repeal, Republicans are running scared of their own record, especially as Big Health Care CEO compensation soars on their watch.

Meanwhile, the coalition that defeated health care repeal is rising up to fight GOP sabotage at every level of government.

  • For a full month, Protect Our Care and its partners have continually sounded the alarm about Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, who is now opposed by 41 percent of Americans, the vast majority of whom do not want the Court to overturn protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
  • All week, the Protect Our Care coalition held events marking the anniversary of the Senate defeating repeal and highlighting continued threats to health care, and today Protect Our Care coalitions in Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Maine, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia are holding actions to ask their Republican attorneys general and governors to drop their lawsuit to overturn protections for people with pre-existing conditions in the Affordable Care Act.
  • Looking ahead to August, Protect Our Care coalitions across the country are gearing up to confront House Republicans during recess about the numerous votes they have taken to repeal protections for people with pre-existing conditions, jack up premiums, reduce coverage, and give kickbacks to insurance companies, drug companies, and the wealthy – while doing nothing to bring down the cost of prescription drugs.

With an energized grassroots representing the will of the public, according to poll after poll after poll after poll, it’s no wonder why Democrats are rising up to fight for health care. Just yesterday:

  1. Senate Democrats redoubled their commitment to fight tooth-and-nail to protect health care for all Americans, while marking the one-year anniversary of their defeat of Republicans’ effort to repeal the ACA.
  2. House Democrats introduced a resolution that would intervene to protect the 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions from the GOP-Trump Administration lawsuit working to overturn protections for them.
  3. A coalition of 12 Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit to fight back against the Trump Administration’s revival of junk plans that charge money for poor coverage.

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In News, Administration

Advocates Mount Defense of Health Care for Millions

Last night, President Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be the next Supreme Court justice. To be clear, Trump had two litmus tests in selecting Brett Kavanaugh for the Court:

1) overturning Roe v. Wade, and

2) overturning Americans’ health care by gutting protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

Across the country, health care advocates geared up in opposition, urging their senators to reject Judge Kavanaugh, an activist judge who was hand-picked to rubber-stamp President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ war on health care.

Here are some highlights, with more activity on the ground happening today.

In Alaska, Protect Our Care was joined by health care advocates, Alaska Native leaders, and former Alaska Superior Court Judge John Reese to urge Sen. Lisa Murkowski to do what is best for Alaska and reject a justice who won’t protect Alaskans’ care.

In Maine, Protect Our Care was joined by the Maine Women’s Lobby and Planned Parenthood of Northern New England in calling on Sen. Susan Collins to protect pre-existing condition protections and women’s access to health care.

In Arizona, Jeff Jeans, a cancer survivor joined  state Rep. Athena Salman, and representatives from Planned Parenthood and ACLU Arizona urged Senator Flake to stand up for Arizonans’ care.

In Nevada, Protect Our Care and Laura Packard, a health care advocate living with cancer, Cyndy Hernandez of NARAL Pro-Choice Nevada, and Sam Shaw of SEIU Nevada Local 1107 urged Sen. Dean Heller to stand up and protect Nevadans’ health care.

In Ohio, Protect Our Care Ohio joined with Innovation Ohio, the Physicians Action Network, and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio highlighted the current and long-term threats to health care under a conservative Supreme Court.

In Tennessee, Protect Our Care was joined by a coalition of concerned citizens including Jen Yamin, the mother of a son with pre-existing conditions, Kristen Grimm, the mother of child with special needs, and Anna Carella, Co-Chair of Healthy and Free Tennessee, outside Sen. Bob Corker’s Nashville office.

In West Virginia, Protect Our Care advocates went on the record to make it clear that they want their senators to stand up health care.

In News, Administration

Advocates Gear Up to Defend Health Care for Millions

Protect Our Care Coalition to Host Events Across the Country As Supreme Court Pick Looms

Enough Is Enough Poster

  • As President Trump prepares to make his Supreme Court announcement Monday, Americans from coast to coast are gearing up to make clear to their Senators that they must not vote against health care by voting for an extreme nominee who will use their position to attack our health care.
  • Protect Our Care is active in fourteen states, and our advocates have already scheduled events on Monday in Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. We’ll be holding a rally at Monument Square in Bangor, Maine; a press conference in front of Sen. Bob Corker’s office in Nashville, Tennessee; and a press call with local leaders, health care advocates, and a former judge in Alaska.
  • President Trump and Congressional Republicans have spent the past 18 months waging a relentless war on our health care, with millions losing coverage, premiums increasing by double digits, and protections for people with pre-existing conditions eroding. But all of these pale in comparison to the damage that an extreme Supreme Court justice could do — read more to find out all that’s at stake for health care with this Supreme Court vacancy.

Protect Our Care’s national leaders and local advocates are available for on the record interviews. Please contact [email protected].

In News, Administration, Stories

Protect Our Care Launches 130 Million Strong Month of Action

Washington, D.C. – The Protect Our Care coalition today launches “130 Million Strong Month of Action,” a campaign to warn Americans about escalating Republican attacks on Affordable Care Act-guaranteed protections for over 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. As the Trump Department of Justice asks the courts to take away these protections, the campaign will leverage earned and paid media as well as grassroots advocacy to highlight the true cost of letting insurance companies bring back discrimination.

“There are over 130 million Americans out there with pre-existing conditions who deserve to know that Republicans are trying to let insurance companies take away their coverage,” said Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse. “The Trump Department of Justice just declared war on people who have a history of diabetes, asthma, or cancer. This month, our coalition of health care advocates will be conducting an aggressive information campaign to make sure people know what’s at stake.”

The campaign launches this morning with a new digital ad targeted to 13 states: Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Watch Digital Ad

Protect Our Care is also rolling out 51 fact sheets this morning highlighting the impact residents would face in each state if the Trump Administration wins its case and takes away pre-existing condition protections, and dozens of events are set to take place across the country between now and Independence Day.

In News

Celebrating ACA Anniversary Week Recap: Protect Our Care Coalition Highlights Health Gains Made Under Affordable Care Act and Voters Across the Country Say “We Won’t Go Back”

In honor of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law eight years ago, last week the Protect Our Care coalition celebrated ACA Anniversary Week, highlighting the health care achievements made across America under the ACA and making clear that we won’t go back and erode this progress.

SUPPORTERS STAND UP FOR THE ACA: WE WON’T GO BACK

All across the country, from Alaska to Tennessee to the nation’s Capitol, health care voters held rallies for the ACA Anniversary Week of Action to made their voices heard and tell elected officials we won’t go back on eight years of progress.

ALASKA

Protect Our Care and the Alaska Grassroots Alliance held a rally in Anchorage.

ARIZONA

 

Protect Our Care and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona held a rally in Phoenix. They were joined by Dr. Wylie Carhartt of the Mountain Park Health Center Family Practice, Phil Pangrazio, CEO of Ability 360, Steve Gomez, whose child received a heart transplant under the ACA, and cancer survivors.

COLORADO

Protect Our Care held rallies in Denver and Grand Junction, visiting Sen. Cory Gardner’s Denver office and Rep. Scott Tipton’s Grand Junction office.

MAINE

 

Protect Our Care joined State Senator Dr. Geoff Gratwick and Nurse Practitioner State Rep. Anne Perry to hold a rally in Bangor. Rep Perry expressed her disappointment in Senator Susan Collins’ recent sponsorship of legislation which would weaken women’s care and her support for the ACA, saying, “Even though there may be complaints of more spent because of Medicaid, we will have a healthier population. And I don’t know of one business who doesn’t want a healthier workforce.”

Central Maine Editorial Board: Our View: Obamacare at 8 years: Much done, much left to do

Fox Bangor: Legislature still needs to write check for Medicaid expansion

NEVADA

Protect Our Care, OFA, Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood Affiliates, the Alliance for Healthcare Security, and Battle Born Progress held rallies in Las Vegas and Reno. They were joined by representatives from Positively Kids, the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, SmartBuy Insurance, and the Nevada Alliance for Retired Americans, as well as cancer survivors and health care advocates.

Las Vegas Sun: Analysis: Advocates look to 2018 midterms to restore, protect ACA

CBS News 4: News 4 examines Obamacare’s impact on Nevada on the bill’s 8th anniversary

OHIO

Protect Our Care and For Our Future joined with DeWayne Lee of Healing Heart, local pastors, and city councilmembers to hold rallies in Cincinnati, Mansfield, and Toledo, outside of Sen. Portman’s Toledo office.

WNWO: Sen. Portman Constituents Rally in Support of Affordable Care Act

Richland Source: Mansfield leaders advocate for access to quality healthcare

TENNESSEE

Protect Our Care and the Southern Christian Coalition joined with physicians, registered nurses, local faith leaders, and Sara Scott, whose son has asthma and progressive heart disease and whose daughter has developmental disabilities, neither of whom would be insurable without the ACA, to hold rallies in Nashville and Chattanooga, outside Sen. Lamar Alexander’s office.

Chattanooga Times Free Press: An imperfect journey: 8 years of Obamacare

WEST VIRGINIA

Protect Our Care, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, the West Virginia Citizen Action Group, Our Children, Our Future, and West Virginians Together for Medicaid joined with staff from the office of Senator Joe Manchin to hold a rally in Charleston.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS JOIN HEALTH CARE GROUPS TO CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARY

Last Thursday, Leader Nancy Pelosi, Whip Steny Hoyer, Assistant Minority Leader Jim Clyburn, Rep. David Cicilline, and Rep. Brenda Lawrence joined Protect Our Care, Little Lobbyists, Health Care Voter, Doctors for America, and other health care advocates at a press conference celebrating the millions of lives which have benefited since the ACA was signed into law.

Washington Examiner: Pelosi celebrates eight-year anniversary of Obamacare

POLLING SHOWS: HEALTH CARE A TOP ISSUE, VOTERS BACKING PRO-ACA CANDIDATES

Last week, Public Policy Polling released a series of polls which found that not only is health care a top issue for voters across the country, but in battleground states pro-repeal candidates are being rejected. The polls found the following results:

  • In Arizona, health care is a top issue for 68% of voters, with 21% saying it is the most important issue. In a hypothetical Senate election, Democrat Kyrsten Sinema leads pro-repeal candidate Martha McSally 46-41
  • In Nevada, health care is a top issue for 65% of voters, with 27% saying it is the most important issue. In a hypothetical Senate election, Democrat Jacky Rosen leads pro-repeal Dean Heller 44-39.
  • In Pennsylvania, health care is a top issue for 71% of voters, with 25% saying it is the most important issue. In a hypothetical Senate election, Democrat Bob Casey leads pro-repeal candidate Lou Barletta 54-36.
  • In Tennessee, health care is a top issue for 71% of voters, with 31% saying it is the most important issue. In a hypothetical Senate election, Democrat Phil Bredesen leads pro-repeal candidate Marsha Blackburn 46-41.
  • In Wisconsin, health care is a top issue for 72% of voters, with 25% saying it is the most important issue. In a hypothetical Senate election, Democrat Tammy Baldwin leads pro-repeal candidates Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson 51-39 and 51-38, respectively.
In News, Capitol Hill

Dean Heller Traded Thousands of Nevadans’ Health Care for This One Trump Tweet

The tweet:

Heller’s political payoff:

Heller GOP Primary Challenger Tarkanian drops out of U.S. Senate race, jumps into 3rd Congressional District at Trump’s request [Nevada Independent, 3/16/18]

And the price Heller paid Trump?

Voting for a bill that HE HIMSELF said “takes insurance from tens of millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Nevadans” after Trump threatened: “He wants to remain a senator, doesn’t he?”

Trump rewards loyalty in Nevada and shows the power he wields over GOP [CNN, 3/17/18]

Last summer when Sen. Dean Heller was considering bucking President Donald Trump on health care, the president issued a not-so-subtle threat to the vulnerable Nevada Republican. “Look, he wants to remain a senator, doesn’t he?” Trump said at a meeting at the White House with GOP senators. Heller laughed off the comment, but GOP senators were alarmed. And the subtle threat may have had an effect. Over the next several months, Heller aligned himself closely with the President, endorsing his efforts to repeal Obamacare, appearing right behind Trump at a White House event celebrating passage of the tax law, and avoiding direct criticism of Trump despite the seemingly endless string of controversies coming out of the West Wing.

In Uncategorized

DISASTER AT HOME: Graham-Cassidy-Heller Would Devastate States, Destroy People’s Health Care

DISASTER AT HOME: Graham-Cassidy-Heller Would Devastate States, Destroy People’s Health Care

In a desperate attempt to satisfy President Trump, Sens. Graham, Cassidy and Heller have slapped together a health care repeal bill that would be devastating to their own constituents’ health care. Louisiana alone stands to lose a whopping $2.3 billion and Nevada $250 million under a bill that is as bad as full repeal by all accounts.

Just look at the headlines for how it’s playing across the country and in the Senators’ home states…

Nevada Independent: Nevada could lose $250 million under Graham-Cassidy-Heller proposal, new report says

New Orleans Gambit: Report: Cassidy-Graham health care plan could cost Louisiana $2.3 billion in health care funding

New Mexico Public Radio: Report: Cassidy-Graham Bill Would Deeply Cut Health Coverage Funding for New Mexico

Middletown Press: Report: Connecticut would be hit hard by ACA repeal

CT Mirror: New Obamacare replacement plan would hurt CT, report says

Fiscal Times: The GOP Has One Last Health Care Plan. It Would Also Cause Millions to Lose Coverage

Inside Health Policy: CBPP: Graham-Cassidy Block Grant Would Cut Funds To 42 States By 2026