Reps. Tonko, Slaughter Lead NY Delegation Letter Calling on President-Elect Trump to Reconsider Plan to Repeal Obamacare

"Repeal and Delay" plan would throw NYS health care system into disarray, leave huge budget shortfalls for Capital Region hospitals & local governments

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representatives Paul Tonko (NY-20) and Louise Slaughter (NY-25) issued a letter today, signed by all 18 Democratic members of New York's House Delegation, calling on President-Elect Donald Trump to reject any Republican plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without an immediate and comprehensive plan to replace it. The letter emphasizes the catastrophic impact that a repeal of ACA would have on communities across New York State including 2.7 million people losing coverage and a $24 billion budget shortfall for hospitals across the state.

The signers of the letter caution that, "[f]rom Manhattan to Massena, New Yorkers reject this starkly ideological plan to repeal the ACA that would throw our entire health care system into disarray and not solve the real problems that families face. We will not stand idly by as the President-elect inflicts a great wound on the people of New York that we are sworn to represent and protect. We implore Mr. Trump to stop playing politics with the lives of our constituents and stop efforts to repeal this life-saving law."

Rep. Tonko has harshly criticized Republican moves to repeal ACA without replacing it, saying: "Repealing Obamacare with no plan to replace it is irresponsible and dangerous. It shows that, after seven years, Congressional Republicans still have no specific ideas how to improve the Affordable Care Act... Instead of repealing the Affordable Care Act with no replacement, Republicans and Democrats should come together to improve the law by lowering out of pocket costs for care, increasing the small business tax credit, and limiting prescription drug costs."

* If ACA is repealed, thousands in our region stand to lose health coverage:

* 25,552 people in Albany County

* 16,056 people in Schenectady County

* 16,340 people in Saratoga County

* 12,540 people in Rensselaer County

* 5,473 people in Montgomery County

* Because of the way New York State funds Medicaid coverage, Capital Region county governments will face crippling budget shortfalls if ACA is repealed:

* Albany County: $4,738,862

* Schenectady County: $2,462,377

* Saratoga County: $1,864,638

* Rensselaer County: $2,307,076

* Montgomery County: $797,695

* A repeal of the Affordable Care Act would also be devastating for Capital Region hospitals, which would face a $723 million budget shortfall. Rural hospitals in the state would be under enormous financial pressure and could be forced to close their doors, leaving many without access to care. In addition, families would again be subject to annual and lifetime limits and could be denied care for a pre-existing condition. Due to a reopening of the donut hole, which the ACA closes, New York seniors would face an increase in prescription drug costs totaling $1,195 annually for each beneficiary.

Text of letter and current list of cosigners copied below:

President-Elect Donald J. Trump

Trump Tower

725 5th Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Dear President-Elect Trump,

As fellow New Yorkers, we write to you today to convey the disastrous consequences repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would have on our home state. We implore you to consider both the economic and social impacts of repeal on the businesses and families of New York.

There is no doubt that repeal of the ACA would significantly impact the working families in the state. Repeal would cause over 2.7 million New Yorkers to lose health insurance coverage, including more than 218,000 in your home borough of Manhattan alone. Beyond people directly covered through the New York state insurance exchange, repeal would have devastating consequences to our entire health care system. Repeal means that all families could once again be subject to annual and lifetime limits and could be denied care for a pre-existing condition. Because repeal would reopen the prescription drug donut hole, seniors across the state would face higher prescription drug costs of $1,195 annually.

Additionally, repeal will cause a $24 billion budget shortfall for hospitals across New York state. Rural hospitals, in particular, would be under enormous financial pressure and could have to close their doors, leaving many in these areas without access to care. From Manhattan to Massena, New Yorkers reject this starkly ideological plan to repeal the ACA that would throw our entire health care system into disarray and not solve the real problems that families face.

The people of New York look to their elected representatives to protect their wellbeing. As such, we ought to make every effort to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and the progress it has shepherded for the people of this great state. The Affordable Care Act has reduced the burden of health care costs for hard-working families across New York State, and we implore you to discontinue efforts to repeal this life-saving law.

Sincerely,

Read this original document at: http://tonko.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=604