Statement from Rep. DeFazio on the House Passage of the American Healthcare Act

WASHINGTON--Rep. Peter DeFazio today issued the following statement on the passage of the American Healthcare Act:

"The first version of the Republican healthcare bill would have stripped coverage from 24 million people and cost Americans over age 50 five times more than younger individuals for health insurance. Apparently, that wasn't bad enough.

"The latest version of the American Health Care Act goes even further, gutting protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions and increasing costs for our nation's most vulnerable. This new bill will allow insurers to implement healthcare plans that would not cover hospital visits, doctor visits, prescription drugs, maternity care, or mental health and addiction treatment--while still handing a huge tax break to Americans who earn more than $250,000 a year.

"My Republican colleagues are hailing this legislation as a victory for choice for the consumer. The only choices that this bill gives Americans who need coverage the most are between poverty, bankruptcy, or death."

To watch Rep. DeFazio's floor speech against the American Healthcare Act, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrOVaMj8bfU.

Read this original document at: http://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-from-rep-defazio-on-the-house-passage-of-the-american