Alliance for Retired Americans Comments on House Vote to Repeal ACA

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 -- The Alliance for Retired Americans issued the following statement by Executive Director Richard Fiesta regarding the U.S. House vote to approve the 2017 budget resolution that instructs committees to write legislation repealing the Affordable Care Act.

"With today's vote, 227 members of the House of Representatives started the process of eliminating many valuable and affordable health care benefits that American retirees rely on.

"From free wellness checks and preventive screenings to lowering prescription drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries, to eliminating pre-existing conditions and limiting what older Americans not yet eligible for Medicare can be charged for insurance, the ACA has made health care better and more affordable for millions.

"Depending on the actions of the House Committees that will take the next steps, all of these benefits are now in jeopardy.

"The burden for developing a replacement plan that improves health care and keeps it affordable is on these members. Retirees are watching and will loudly defend the guaranteed Medicare and Medicaid health care benefits they have earned through a lifetime of hard work.

"The price for health care in America is likely to rise quickly, to the detriment of millions of workers and retirees."

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