Washington, D.C. — While the Trump Administration rolls out the largest health cuts in history, Vice President JD Vance is headed to Pennsylvania tomorrow to lie straight to the American people about the GOP’s big, ugly bill. The GOP spending bill rips health care away from 17 million Americans just to hand tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations. Slashing nearly $1 trillion from health care will decimate communities across the country, including in Pennsylvania’s eighth congressional district. 206,700 Pennsylvanians in PA-08 rely on Medicaid for their health care, and the GOP bill has put thousands of them at risk of losing that life-saving care. Five hospitals in the district are at risk of closing, resulting in longer care wait times, further travel, and a staggering number of lost jobs, both within and outside of the health care sector. Despite all this, Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate while Representative Bresnahan (PA-08) cast a decisive vote for it in the House, despite the American people overwhelmingly disapproving of Republicans’ massive health care cuts.
In response, Protect Our Care President Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“JD Vance is coming to Pennsylvania to throw a political lifeline to Rob Bresnahan and gaslight the American people into thinking the GOP’s big, ugly bill is a win. Vance can try to spin it all he wants, but here’s the truth: cutting $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act has created a health care emergency. The GOP bill is already shuttering hospitals, raising costs, and ripping away health care from millions of families who count on it, to provide tax breaks to billionaires and huge corporations. No matter how JD Vance puts it, and no matter how Congressman Bresnahan spins it, nothing can cover up the fact that they are doing Donald Trump’s bidding to wage war on our health care for the benefit of billionaires and corporations.”
BACKGROUND
- Republicans rip away health care from 20,000 Americans in Rob Bresnahan’s district, including seniors, children, veterans, and people with disabilities, leaving them with nowhere to turn for treatment for conditions such as cancer or diabetes.
- Republicans cut $22.4 billion in critical funding for Pennsylvania hospitals, including $666 million in Rob Bresnahan’s district, leaving 5 hospitals in statewide in Pennsylvania at risk of closure according to analysis from the University of North Carolina, and Families USA including:
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- UPMC Jameson
- UPMC Northwest Hospital
- UPMC Kane
- UPMC Horizon Hospital
- Highlands Hospital
- When hospitals close, communities can lose a staggering number of jobs, both within and outside of the health care sector. The closure of one rural hospital can eliminate 220 jobs immediately.
- Republicans are also risking the closure of over a quarter of nursing homes, including 16 in Pennsylvania, according to Brown University:
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- Pittsburgh Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
- Cheswick Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, LLC
- Midtown Oaks Health & Rehab Center
- Hilltop Heights Health & Rehab Center
- Aventura at Pembrooke
- Bonham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
- Rosemont Center
- LECOM at Presque Isle, INC
- LECOM at Village Square, LLC
- Chambersburg Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
- Mountain View Care and Rehabilitation Center
- Susquehanna Health and Wellness Center
- Cheltenham Nursing and Rehab Center
- Inglis House
- Meadow View Nursing Center
- Westmoreland Manor