MNGOP Chair Carnahan Issues Statement on American Health Care Act

MINNEAPOLIS, July 7 -- The Minnesota Republican Party issued the following statement by Chair Jennifer Carnahan in response to a news conference by Gov. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., and Rep Keith Ellison, D-Minn., in opposition to the proposed health care bill in the Senate:

"It's the height of hypocrisy for the Democrats to give us the failed Obamacare system and then criticize efforts to clean up the mess they themselves created. Until the Republican-controlled legislature successfully acted this year to provide meaningful relief, Minnesotans under Obamacare were facing premium increases of as much as 67 percent. Families, farmers and small business owners were being devastated. Obamacare has been such a disaster that even DFL Governor Dayton said it was "no longer affordable" and Congressman Tim Walz admitted Obamacare is "failing my constituents in a lot of ways."

With regards to Medicaid, Carnahan continued:

"The U.S. Government Accounting Office ranks Medicaid as a "high risk" program due to the long-term rise in program costs. Clearly, reforms are needed to ensure the people who need the program can continue to be served far into the future. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) will bring about those necessary reforms by giving states flexibility in how Medicaid funds are spent.

The bill would also protect the most vulnerable people who rely on the program, such as disabled individuals and the elderly. Under the AHCA there is no cap on the benefits any individual can receive through Medicaid, and not a single person is kicked out of the program. By blocking reforms the Democrats are jeopardizing the ability of federal and state governments to take care of those who rely on Medicaid."