Mayor Ginther and Mount Carmel Health System Urge Senators to Revise U.S. Senate Health Care Bill

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 28 -- Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther issued the following news release:

Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and Mount Carmel Health System urged Senators to revise the health care bill currently being considered by the U.S. Senate.

"At Mount Carmel, we believe that access to people-centered health care is a fundamental right. Adequate health insurance coverage is essential to assuring that right," said Ed Lamb, CEO of Mount Carmel Health System. "We have significant concerns about the impact of the Better Care Reconciliation Act on millions of Americans. We are especially worried about the loss of access to care, the weakening of life-saving insurance protections and the deterioration of the safety net provided to vulnerable populations -- especially working families, children, and those suffering from opioid addiction -- through Medicaid."

Mayor Ginther stressed the damage the passage of the current Senate bill would do to struggling families in Columbus. "Our neighbors who are addicted and afflicted would suffer without care under this bill. Costs for addiction treatment would be slashed to 10% of money needed at a time when those addicted are escalating," said Mayor Ginther. "In addition, pre-natal care would be optional, and the cost for pregnancy would skyrocket.

"More than 100,000 of our neighbors in Franklin County received coverage under the Medicaid expansion. Ending that is turning back the clock on common sense positive changes in our community."

Mount Carmel Health Systems is one of the largest health care systems in central Ohio with more than 10,000 employees and 1,600 physicians.