Rep. Cohen Issues Statement on Senate GOP Bill to Repeal Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., has issued the following statement on the Senate Republicans' draft bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act:

"Much like the Trumpcare bill passed in the House of Representatives last month, the Republican bill in the Senate makes tragically and sometimes fatally deep cuts to Medicaid, allows states to waive critical essential health benefits such as maternity care, mental health services, pediatric services, preventative care services, drug abuse treatment and physical rehabilitation services, gives huge tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, provides woefully inadequate funding to fight the opioid epidemic, and defunds Planned Parenthood.

The President called the House health care bill 'mean.' The Senate version is equally as mean. Millions of people will likely lose their health insurance and many lower and middle-income Americans will be forced to pay more for less coverage. The Senate version still has a crushing age tax, meaning those 50-64 years of age would pay significantly higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. The tax breaks are a gift financially for the wealthiest two percent of Americans.

This bill was hastily crafted behind closed doors with zero input from Democrats, women or minorities. Even members of the so-called health care working group, all of whom are white Republican men, had almost no input in the process. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to oppose this heartless bill and ensure Americans have access to the quality, affordable health insurance they deserve."