Murphy, Casey, Baldwin Warn That ACA and Medicaid Attacks Will Undermine Efforts to Lower Drug Costs for Families

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release:

U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), all members of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, recently led a letter, signed by 15 of their colleagues, to President Trump to cease efforts to slash, sabotage and undermine the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid if he is serious about addressing the price of prescription drugs to individuals and families.

"The actions by your Administration to sabotage, slash and undermine Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act have already resulted in higher out-of-pocket costs for individuals and families in need of prescription drugs to remain healthy," the senators wrote. "We urge you to protect comprehensive health care coverage through Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act for our nation's children, seniors, people with disabilities and families to make sure drugs are affordable for everyone."

In their letter, the senators note that the Administration's actions have already caused Americans to lose insurance coverage, including coverage for their prescription drugs, and threatens the health of millions more. Since President Trump has taken office, 7 million fewer people have health insurance coverage, according to data released by Gallup in January. Attacks on Medicaid threaten the prescription drug coverage for more than 75 million people.

Joining Murphy, Casey, and Baldwin are U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-N.V.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.)

Read the full text of the letter here (https://www.aging.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ACA-Medicaid%20Sabotage%20Letter.pdf).