Sen. Heitkamp Issues Statement on CBO Report on Graham-Cassidy Health Care Bill

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- The office of Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., issued the following news release:

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U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today reinforced her concerns with the Graham-Cassidy health care bill after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released preliminary analysis on the most recent Republican health care bill.

The report says that federal funds would be shifted away from states that expanded Medicaid like North Dakota, millions of Americans would lose comprehensive health insurance plans that cover high-cost medical events, and the number of uninsured Americans would grow in part because of serious funding cuts to Medicaid.

"Congress needs to work together to pass bipartisan reforms to improve health care for American families, and that's what I've been trying to do with Senators Alexander and Murray over the past few weeks," said Heitkamp. "The CBO report reinforces what many other independent reports have also said: this new Republican health care bill would lead to larger numbers of uninsured Americans; fewer individuals on Medicaid which has been a lifesaver for seniors, children with disabilities, and low-income families; and less access to health care for adults and children with serious illnesses or pre-existing conditions like asthma or diabetes. The health reform law is not perfect - and I've long said we need to make it work better for North Dakota families, which is why I've offered many reforms to do just that. But supporting a bad bill for political purposes is the height of recklessness. A few of my Republican friends have voiced their concerns with this bill - that takes courage and I'm proud to stand beside them."

Over the past four and a half years, Heitkamp has been offering reasonable reforms that should be bipartisan to make the current health reform law work better for North Dakota families. Click here https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/5eddef24-2b92-45c0-9b41-6d3929ad155b/7-28-timeline-of-hh-aca-fixes.pdf for a summary of the many proposals she has offered since 2013 to make health care more affordable and accessible. Over the past few months and weeks, she has met with a group of Republican and Democratic senators, as well as governors, insurance commissioners, patients, and insurers, to talk about reforms to make the health reform law work better.

Since 2013, Heitkamp has also met regularly with her health care advisory board - comprised of health care leaders across North Dakota -- to talk with them about health care in the state and improving the health reform law.