Families, Advocates Press To Retain Obamacare

Oct. 6--CONCORD -- Bev Ketel of Madbury said her family would have been financially devastated without the Affordable Care Act that guaranteed coverage six years ago when her 3-year-old son John became diabetic.

"We are grateful we got a second chance, but now it is all about making sure he has health care," Ketel said during a virtual news conference Tuesday with U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-NH.

"We need this group to stick together to make sure the Affordable Care Act doesn't go away. If we repeal it, we could have young kids coming off and be at jeopardy of losing their health care. How in the world are they going to be able to stay alive if they don't have this bare essential right to health care?"

Arnold Newman, a retired worker in the automobile industry, said the cost of his insulin has skyrocketed since his insurer labeled it a "Type 3" drug.

The first refill in 2021 will cost $364 along with a one-time, $270 deductible, Newman said.

"I am tired of the broken promises; I am tired of the drug companies when they can tell you you have to pay this," Newman said.

In June, Gov. Chris Sununu signed a state law the Democrat-controlled Legislature passed, which ensures consumers with health insurance can be charged no more than $30 per month for insulin.

The new law took effect Sept. 14.

Pappas said Congress must continue to change laws that would lower the cost of prescription drugs. He authored a provision in a health reform law last year that expanded access so more low-income seniors could be eligible for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit.

"No one should be going hungry or going without life-saving medications or going broke because Big Pharma should have record profits," Pappas said.

NH's high costs

New Hampshire residents pay well above the national average for health care coverage, and health care plans here carry among the highest average deductibles in the nation, according to the recent analysis by independent groups.

A week after the Nov. 3 election, the U.S. Supreme Court will take up a lawsuit supported by the Trump administration to repeal Obamacare.

Pappas and the other speakers during the session sponsored by the Protect Our Care group did not mention his Republican opponent, Matt Mowers of Bedford.

Mowers, who has supported repealing Obamacare, wants to replace it with a pro-free enterprise health insurance system that includes protecting coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

"Chris Pappas has played politics with Granite Staters' health care since the beginning of his lackluster career in Congress, voting with Nancy Pelosi 100% of the time," said John Corbett, Mowers' campaign manager, in a statement.

"Matt Mowers has consistently supported protecting patients with preexisting conditions. Instead of trapping them in a government-run system where bureaucrats make choices on our behalf like Chris Pappas, however, Matt believes in empowering patients and their doctors through price transparency and taking on special interests to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Americans and small businesses deserve options -- not higher premium costs."

The Pappas campaign pointed out that in December 2013, Mowers, as executive director of the Republican State Committee, opposed an effort by then-Gov. Maggie Hassan that ultimately led to the expansion of Medicaid coverage to provide health insurance for more than 50,000 low-income adults.

At the time, Mowers was reacting to news that Obamacare's mandates and a smaller health care network led to a significant increase in health care insurance premiums for customers of Anthem, the state's largest insurer.

"This isn't what the Democrats promised, and it is outrageous that Governor Hassan continues to try to expand Obamacare in New Hampshire as more families are forced to suffer because of it," Mowers said then.

klandrigan@unionleader.com

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