NLC Issues Statement on ‘Congress: Work Together to Improve Healthcare’

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- The National League of Cities issued the following statement by President Matt Zone, a Cleveland city councilmember, as the Senate passed a motion to proceed with consideration of the House version of a healthcare bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that, if passed as is, the measure would result in tens of millions of people losing their health insurance over the next decade:

"The Senate healthcare bill would cost millions of people access to healthcare, while sticking the cost of uncompensated care on medical providers, states and America's cities -- without tackling the real healthcare issues facing Americans and the cities in which they live.

"America's cities and towns, particularly smaller and rural communities, simply cannot afford to have millions of residents lose access to health insurance.

"If a better plan cannot be reached, we must stop these shortsighted partisan games and work toward strengthening our existing system.

"We urge Congress to scrap this disastrous bill in Conference and work together on real solutions to strengthen Medicaid, remove burdens on municipal employers and employees such as the Cadillac Tax, and promote strong and healthy communities."