Action Alert! The Senate Votes on Healthcare Tonight!

July 27, 2017

As you know, the Senate is in the process of voting on various healthcare reform bills and amendments after passing a motion to proceed on Tuesday afternoon. So far, the Senate has voted down the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) and the Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act (ORRA). We are now looking at a “Skinny Repeal” which would eliminate the individual and employer mandates as well as the tax on medical devices. This legislation would:

• Throw over 15 million people off of health care
• Raise health insurance premiums by 20% each year for the foreseeable future
• Destabilize the health insurance markets
• Lay a path for a conference bill that will include Medicaid cuts and caps

The American Medical Association (AMA) wrote in a statement that eliminating the individual and employer mandates will exacerbate current affordability problems and destabilize the individual market.

All of these outcomes would negatively affect people with disabilities, especially those who are low-income or live in rural areas, by leading more people to be forced into institutions or to go without care.

The Skinny Repeal is a direct attack on the lives and liberty of people with disabilities!

 

We’re hearing that the Senate will hold a final vote at 8pm Eastern Time tonight – please, keep up the phone calls, tweets, and emails. On Tuesday we shut down the Senate phone system because so many of us called to save our healthcare. Let’s make that happen today.

Call both of your Senators – if they oppose the Skinny Repeal bill – thank them for their support. If they support the Skinny Repeal bill, tell them how cutting the individual and employer mandate will eliminate options for people with disabilities and open the door for later Medicaid cuts.

Here’s what to tell your Senators:

• NONE of the plans put forward in the Senate create more or better health care for Americans
• NONE of the plans put forward in the Senate protect people with disabilities
• The Skinny Repeal bill denies health care to over 15 million people
• The Skinny Repeal bill is still a threat to Medicaid if the bill goes to conference
• The Senate should not relinquish its responsibility to create good policy
• It is time to kill these bills
• It is time for bi-partisan efforts to improve health care
• Vote NO on the Skinny Repeal bill and reach across the aisle to improve health care

 

Other Senate Targets include

• Capito (WV)
• Collins (ME)
• Heller (NV)
• McCain (AZ)
• Moran (KS)
• Murkowski (AK)

 

Tweet Your Senators

Tweet: Listen, @SenCapito. “Skinny repeal” is BAD & leaves the door for Medicaid cuts WIDE open. TELL CAPITO WV NEEDS HER: 202-224-6472 #VoteNO!

Tweet: Tell @SenRonJohnson he must #VoteNO on “skinny repeal,” which is hardly a compromise & will gut Wisconsinites’ health care. 202-224-5323

Tweet: CALL @senrobportman & demand he #VoteNO on “skinny repeal,” which threatens Ohioans’ lives and will spike their premiums. 202-224-3353

Tweet: Look, @SenDeanHeller. “Skinny repeal” risks Nevadans’ Medicaid & threatens millions. (Heller NEEDS TO HEAR THIS: 202-224-6244.) #VoteNO!

Tweet:  Vocab lesson! “Skinny repeal” is not skinny—all this *and* premiums up by 20%.  @lisamurkowski HAS TO HEAR FROM YOU: 202-224-6665. #VoteNO!

Tweet: Reach out to @SenatorCollins at 202-224-2523 & remind her: “Skinny repeal” will NOT work for Mainers or any Americans. Demand she #VoteNO!

Tweet: CALL @CoryGardner & demand he #VoteNO on “skinny repeal,” a sham of a compromise that devastates Coloradans’ health care. 202-224-5941

Tweet: Call @SenJohnMcCain and urge him to keep his word. “Skinny repeal” is disastrous for Arizonans & all Americans. #VoteNO! 202-224-2235

Tweet: CALL @JeffFlake and demand he #VoteNO on “skinny repeal.” This will raise premiums & hurt Americans and Arizonans alike! 202-224-4521

Tweet: Hey @SenDanSullivan, let’s talk about “skinny repeal.” It’s bad—for Alaskans & all Americans. CALL SEN. SULLIVAN: 202-224-3004 & say #VoteNO

 

Keep up the visits, calls, tweets, and emails to your Senators. Please ask your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same. We need every Senator to keep hearing how these efforts will harm millions of individuals. We know we’ve asked this of you many times, but your efforts have made a difference! The efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act began back in January – we are still fighting this fight today because of advocates like you who haven’t given up. Please keep it up.

Read AAPD’s latest Action Alert – We’re Not Out of the Woods Yet on Healthcare – for additional information and resources to take action.