Senate Rushing to Repeal Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The National Health Law Program issued the following news release:

Senate leadership in brazen fashion is rushing through a repeal of the Affordable Care Act including decimating funding for the Medicaid program before the end of June.

Senate leaders have said their bill - a blueprint of which was shared today with Republican members - will be about 80 percent similar to the House version, which has been rejected by large numbers of people according to polling.

National Health Law Program (NHeLP) Executive Director Elizabeth G. Taylor blasted Senate leadership for lack of transparency and eagerness to roll back health care reform.

"Senate leadership appears intent on ramming through a measure similar to the House's atrocious attack on health care," Taylor said. "Like the House leadership, Senate leadership is showing little regard for the tens of millions of individuals and families who rely on the vital health care they have access through ACA and Medicaid."

NHeLP Managing Attorney of the DC Office Mara Youdelman urged the Senate to stop its politically motivated rush to gut health care reform.

"We all need to see this measure the Senate leadership appears bent on moving through its chamber before it is voted on," Youdelman said. "More than 20 million Americans have gained coverage because of ACA, and more than 60 million individuals and families rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage. Like the House version, is the Senate bill also going to repeal integral provisions of ACA, phase out Medicaid expansion, and slash more than $800 billion from Medicaid? Why won't they hold hearings or engage in discussions with hospitals, providers, and consumers about their bill?"

Please contact NHeLP's Director of Communications Jeremy Leaming for further comment on the Senate's attempt to pass a health care bill.