Healthcare workers union hosts ACA info meeting in Lockport

Feb. 23--Members of the 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East union organized a "town hall-style" meeting Wednesday evening at the American Legion Post 410 hall to discuss the new national healthcare plan that was recently outlined by Congress.

"We're concerned about the repeal of the Affordable Care Act," Allison Krause, communications coordinator for the Upstate/Western New York 1199 SEIU said on Wednesday.

The Republican leaders of the House of Representatives presented an outline of their plan to replace the ACA on Feb. 16.

The 19-page document contains intentions to repeal and replace the ACA, including reducing Medicaid funding to 31 states that have extended Medicaid eligibility, providing funding for state healthcare innovation programs and enhancing and expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

A press release from 1199 SEIU said that under the plan, 217,825 residents of the greater Buffalo area will be at risk of losing their healthcare.

"Healthcare workers could be affected if the plan goes through the way it is now," Krause said. "It could really threaten local hospitals and nursing homes."

Krause traveled to Lockport from her Syracuse office Wednesday for one of what she says will be many "town hall-style" meetings in Lockport and other New York municipalities to encourage community members to speak about how the new healthcare plan will affect their lives.

"We're not going to stop," Krause said. "We've been holding these types of town hall meeting all across the state, especially in Congressman Chris Collins' district."

As a Republican in Congress, Krause said Collins will be one of the decision-makers in how the repeal of the ACA plays out.

The union extended an invitation to Collins to attend the meeting. He did not attend.

Collins' communications director, Michael McAdams, said in a statement, "Events like these are sponsored by extreme partisans who put their own special interests over the interests of hard-working taxpayers."

"Groups like these do not want a meaningful discussion on the important issues facing Western New Yorkers, but instead only desire to promote their own agenda," McAdams added.

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East represents more than 400,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida.

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