Congressman Moulton talks health care at town hall

Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, MA)

May 07--NORTH ANDOVER -- Congressman Seth Moulton, D-Salem, was prepared for questions about health care at a town hall event in North Andover Saturday, his first since the American Health Care Act passed in the House of Representatives this week.

He also was ready for constituents' nods to a potential presidential bid. After saying it a dozen times to various media outlets this past week, Moulton said it one more time -- he is not running for president.

"I am 100 percent focused on representing this district," the 6th Congressional District Representative told the crowd at North Andover Middle School.

Moulton said standing up to President Donald J. Trump's administration -- which he called "uniquely dangerous" -- is a top priority. He voiced staunch opposition to the new health care bill that would replace the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. Several hundred people attended the town hall styled meeting.

The bill would allow states to obtain waivers for the ACA's requirement that insurers cover particular services, like preventive care. The waivers would let insurers charge higher premiums based on age and a number of pre-existing conditions, which could raise rates five times higher for the elderly and seriously ill.

"In our entire congressional district, in the northeast quarter of Massachusetts, we have a little over 700,000 people; 24 million Americans will lose health care coverage under this bill," he said, citing the Congressional Budget Office's initial estimate.

In a crowd comprised primarily -- but not entirely -- of older, white constituents, Moulton said the bill has the potential to price out people with pre-existing conditions.

"Over half the people in the 6th District of Massachusetts have a pre-existing condition...In fact, by some measures, the Republicans have made being a woman a pre-existing condition."

Moulton said although he ran on a bipartisan platform, when he returns to Washington D.C., he intends to influence senators across the aisle to vote against the bill -- which would only need three GOP "no" votes to sink.

The congressman and Iraq War veteran fielded sweeping questions about financial reform and the environment, and painted a picture of Democratic politicians in the trenches just to hold their line against a hostile administration.

"To be perfectly honest with you, and I hate to end on a pessimistic note, but what we're really trying to do right now is just hold our ground against the onslaught from this administration," he said in response to a question about bipartisan efforts to combat climate change and invest in green energy infrastructure.

Though Moulton was not optimistic about progress under Trump's administration, he encouraged people to get involved in congressional races across the country to elect Democrats in 2018.

"If we can win back the House of Representatives, that can start to change. If we can then win back the presidency in 2020 and the Senate along with it, that will start to change. That is what we all have to do to ensure our future."

Moulton spoke of the "remarkable system of government" that allowed someone who has never been in politics before to get elected. But he wasn't just referring to Trump.

"The first congressman my parents met was me," he said. "So I'm proud to be here and represent you as an example of how our democracy can work, but we need you involved, too."

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