Sens. Shaheen, Hassan, Kuster Hear Concerns About Harmful Impact of Repealing the Affordable Care Act on Substance Abuse Crisis

NASHUA, N.H., Jan. 27 -- Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-N.H., issued the following news release:

Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Congresswoman Annie Kuster joined Nashua city officials, treatment and healthcare providers, recovery advocates, and firefighters at Harbor Homes in Nashua to hear more about the harmful impact that repealing the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion without a replacement would have on New Hampshire's efforts to combat the heroin, fentanyl, and opioid crisis.

Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are required to cover essential health benefits, including substance use disorder services. Over 50,000 Granite Staters have also gained access to quality, affordable health coverage - including coverage for substance abuse treatment - under New Hampshire's bipartisan Medicaid expansion plan.

"President Trump and Republican leadership's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, especially without a replacement plan, recklessly endangers the healthcare coverage for nearly 120,000 Granite Staters and will come at a high cost for people struggling with substance use disorders," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen. "As we heard today, the progress our state has made in combatting the opioid epidemic is at risk of being undone if this law is repealed. In 2015 alone, 48,000 Medicaid claims were submitted for vital substance use disorder treatment. The testimony at today's roundtable will be very helpful as I urge President Trump and Republican leadership to work across the aisle to improve the law, rather than repeal it."

"I am grateful to the local officials, health care providers, recovery advocates, and public safety officials in Nashua and all across our state for their commitment to ensuring that those with substance misuse disorders are able to access treatment and recovery services," said Senator Maggie Hassan. "Unfortunately, efforts in Washington to repeal the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion threaten to undermine the work our state is doing to combat the heroin, opioid, and fentanyl crisis. Instead of stripping coverage from millions of Americans, members of both parties should come together to combat this crisis and not undermine the important coverage gains realized by the Affordable Care Act. I will continue to stand up for the people of New Hampshire and fight any efforts to take away health insurance coverage."

"Here in Nashua and communities across New Hampshire, we're seeing a tremendous effort to help get those with substance misuse disorders the recovery and treatment services they need," said Congresswoman Annie Kuster. "Clearly, as we've heard today, Medicaid expansion and services supported by the Affordable Care Act are an important part of the system that is getting folks into treatment and back on their feet. We can't jeopardize this progress by recklessly repealing a system that's beginning to make a real difference in the lives of so many Granite Staters. I'm hopeful that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will heed our call to come to the middle and find ways to improve the healthcare law for the benefit of everyone."

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