Sen. Gillibrand Issues Statement on House Vote To Dismantle Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, May 4 -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., issued the following statement on the House party-line vote to dismantle the Affordable Care Act:

"The Trump health care bill that passed today on a party-line vote is atrocious and must be defeated in the Senate. Health care shouldn't be about politics - it is about people - and this bill would harm people. The only beneficiaries of this bill are big insurance companies and the wealthiest among us, with the price tag being paid by everyone else through higher premiums, less coverage, and millions of vulnerable Americans losing their insurance.

- "Older Americans will be forced to pay more for their health care through an age tax that lets insurance companies charge those aged 50-64 higher premiums.

- "Up to 24 million Americans with insurance today could lose that coverage.

- "Individuals with pre-existing conditions could lose their protections against premium discrimination granted under Obamacare.

"Obamacare isn't perfect. Health insurance is still too costly for most Americans, and Congress should fix that. There are two ways to do that. Subsidize insurance companies further with taxpayer dollars or create a not-for-profit public option that cuts insurance companies and their profits out of the equation to lower premiums, drug prices, and out-of-pocket costs for everyone. I believe we should fight for that public option - but until then, I will work as hard as I can to defeat this misguided and purely political effort that will hurt New York families."