— from Washington State Governor Jay Inslee —
“It’s inconceivable that any of our nation’s leaders think our health care system will be improved by ripping away health care from 22 million Americans and vastly increasing the costs for millions more.
“President Trump promised Americans he would improve our health care system. He promised he would not cut Medicaid, and that his plan would make health care more accessible and more affordable. Trumpcare doesn’t deliver on a single one of those promises. In fact it exacerbates each of them.
“This isn’t about repeal, or repeal and replace. Republican congressional leaders and President Trump want to instead repeal and redirect this funding to an enormous tax break for the wealthiest Americans.
“The Senate bill is being written entirely in secret. Not even Republican senators know what they will be voting on today. But we know that every proposal put forward in the Senate has been just as bad or worse for our state than the bad bill passed by the House in May.
“I urge every senator to reject this cruel measure. And I encourage all Washingtonians to continue contacting their representatives in Congress to tell them to pursue real bipartisan solutions that protect and build upon our state’s progress improving health care access, quality and affordability. And finally, I want to thank Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell for their hard work defending the people of Washington.”
According to Washington state agencies, the Republican Better Care Reconciliation Act that will form the basis of whatever the U.S. Senate will ultimately consider would kick more than 700,000 Washingtonians out of health coverage. It would more than double the number of uninsured children in the state, cut services for 1 in every 4 people with long-term care and developmental disabilities needs, and cost Washington state over $4 billion a year.
Read the letter from Governor Inslee and Insurance Commissioner Kreidler to the Washington State Congressional Delegation here.
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