Health Care For All Issues Statement on Affordable Care Act

BOSTON, Sept. 27 -- Health Care For All issued the following statement by Executive Director Amy Rosenthal regarding the Senate's decision to not hold a vote on the Graham-Cassidy Proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act:

"Health Care For All (HCFA) is relieved by the news that the Graham-Cassidy proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will not go to the floor for a vote this week as anticipated. This proposed legislation would have had disastrous consequences for the country at large and for Massachusetts specifically. If Graham-Cassidy became law, an estimate of 665,000 Massachusetts residents would have lost coverage by 2027 and the Commonwealth would have lost between $5 and $8 billion in federal funding, placing massive strain on the state budget.

"We wish to reiterate our gratitude to the Massachusetts congressional delegation for their strong and consistent opposition to attempts to repeal the ACA and their commitment to fighting for health care rights. We are grateful to Governor Baker, who has repeatedly taken bold stands against repeal bills and has urged the Senate to continue bipartisan efforts to improve the country's health care system and control costs. HCFA is also very proud of the advocacy community and all the stakeholders who stepped up to the plate to block these ill-informed efforts to revoke the existing healthcare law and decimate the Medicaid program

"This Saturday, September 30, the budget reconciliation process that allows Republicans in the Senate to pass repeal with a simple majority will come to an end. At this point, we don't anticipate other efforts being pushed before that deadline. While we are glad that the Graham-Cassidy bill has been defeated, we know that this is not the end of the fight as the Congressional leadership may try to utilize other legislative avenues to repeal the ACA and undermine Medicaid. In the coming months, Health Care For All will carefully watch developments in D.C. and continue to oppose any attempts to roll back the gains that have been made in expanding coverage in Massachusetts."