Rallygoers predict ‘chaos’ if Washington scrubs Obamacare

Jan. 16--Standing on a snow-covered downtown Scranton bench, Debbie Tomasetti proclaimed that repealing the Affordable Care Act, especially without immediately replacing it, could bring only chaos.

Days after Congress took the first steps toward dismantling the nation's health care law, Ms. Tomasetti spoke to a group of about 75 people rallying Sunday afternoon on Lackawanna County Courthouse Square.

Leaders of Action Together Northeastern Pennsylvania, a group formed in the wake of Republicans winning control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, organized the rally.

Many around Ms. Tomasetti hoisted signs bearing messages like "Indivisible: stop the Republican war on health care" and "Health care is a human right," rousing honks and shoutouts from motorists passing on Spruce Street and North Washington Avenue.

Ms. Tomasetti, of Blakely, an Action Together member, rattled off a long list of the most vulnerable populations -- elderly adults, pregnant women and children -- who "are at risk of losing the critical services that improve and often sustain their lives," she said.

President-elect Donald Trump raised repealing the Affordable Care Act of 2010, often called Obamacare, as a pillar throughout his campaign.

As Congress resumed work this month, Republicans made clear their intentions to quickly deconstruct the law, claiming it moves the nation toward socialized health care and burdens free enterprise with undue regulations and penalties.

"Everybody should be covered," said Lisa Napersky of Mountaintop, who co-chairs Action Together's Wilkes-Barre chapter, adding that most developed countries provide health care to their citizens.

"It shouldn't be -- if you're underprivileged or not a billionaire, that you don't have access to health care or can't afford it," she said.

Action Together urges the public to call U.S. lawmakers en masse Tuesday urging them to protect the law.

Rallygoers on Sunday raised other facets of the law, like stopping insurance companies from discriminating against pre-existing conditions, and expanding Medicaid to embrace millions of people who earn too much for government-funded health care but too little to meet the tax-credit threshold for insurance through the online marketplace.

The law also added mental and behavioral health to the list of services insurers must cover.

Lawmakers get terrific health care, compliments of taxpayers, said Debbie Skripkunis of Exeter, who held a sign that read, "No repeal without replace."

She worries most about what might happen to those with pre-existing conditions, children and veterans who could lose access to health care if the law is erased without a suitable replacement.

"That, to me, is just heartless. You just don't do that kind of thing," she said.

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