Rep. Panetta Issues Statement on Senate’s Health Care Bill

WASHINGTON, June 23 -- Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., issued the following news statement in response to the Senate's health care bill, the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017:

"As I have continually stated, Congress must work together to make our health care system more accessible and affordable for all Americans. Disappointingly, the House Majority and, now, the Senate Majority secretly and hastily came up with health care bills that are more geared towards fulfilling campaign promises than fixing our health care system. Yesterday, the Senate Majority released its Better Care Reconciliation Act, which aims to cut taxes for the wealthiest by cutting programs that provide health care to poor and elderly Americans.

"Their bill would take health care away from millions of Americans by killing the expansion of Medicaid. Medicaid funding would dramatically decrease and its scope of eligibility would narrow. Cost-saving subsidies would be eliminated, making it harder for families to pay for coverage. Insurers would be allowed to charge older Americans premiums that are up to five times higher than their younger counterparts. The individual mandate would be eliminated with no replacement to incentivize healthy people to get insurance. Planned Parenthood would face a Medicaid funding freeze for a year.

"I know that the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, but the Senate bill is cruel and unacceptable. We need to work together, have open hearings, and hear from constituents to come up with solutions to make accessible, affordable health care a reality for all Americans."