Shea-Porter: Health Care Bill Withdrawal A Victory for the People

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) called the withdrawal of the Republican health care bill today a victory for the people of New Hampshire and America. The American Health Care Act would have stripped 24 million Americans of coverage, slashed Medicaid, ended the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, and allowed insurers to sell plans without essential health benefits like hospitalization, pregnancy care, prescription drugs, and mental health and addiction treatment.

“Today’s withdrawal of this cruel health bill is a victory for the people of New Hampshire and America,” said Shea-Porter. “The people have spoken, and the people have won. It’s time to have a serious discussion about improvements that can help our health care system work better for everyone. There’s so much more work to do if we can put partisanship aside and work for the good of our constituents. We need to tackle urgent issues like the heroin, fentanyl, and opioid crisis, the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs, and increasing competition and choice in the health insurance market. These are challenges that call for bipartisan solutions. Let’s get to work.”

Shea-Porter’s office received a high volume of phone calls, emails, and letters in opposition to the American Health Care Act, and stayed in close contact with New Hampshire health care advocates about their many concerns.

Quotes from First District constituents on the AHCA:

“Safety and communication are paramount for my son Alex to access education. Medicaid pays for his 1:1 services at school, his speech, and occupational therapies, and his expensive seizure medications.  Medicaid covers the costs where our primary insurance does not - keeping our family together, healthy, and safe; allowing us to maintain our employment; and making the impossible possible.  Threats to Medicaid including those in today’s bill are threats to keeping our family whole and thriving.”

Deb Genthner, Fremont

Advocate for kids with autism

“This should not be a partisan issue. It is a human rights issue, and even though many of my political views lean Republican, I believe that this issue should be tackled by both sides - looking at what is best for our populations out there that are most vulnerable. I worked in early intervention for my fieldwork placement with children who were born opioid-addicted through no fault of their own. They needed extensive therapy treatment to get them up to an adequate developmental level where they were able to grow and thrive. Without Medicaid, none of this would have been possible.”

Emily Bourque, Raymond

Occupational Therapist and Trainee, University of New Hampshire Leadership in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program

“Any reform to health care must maintain access for all regardless of whatever pre-existing condition they may have.  It must be affordable with coverage costs clear and understandable, i.e. transparent.  The coverage must provide quality and value to the insured. Today’s bill would do none of these things.”

Dennis Murphy, Londonderry

New Hampshire Advocate, National Multiple Sclerosis Society

“This AHCA promise of ‘flexibility’ is a lie. The people of New Hampshire know block grants will handcuff our ability to care for one another.”

L. LeGrand, Kensington

Trainee, University of New Hampshire Leadership in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program