Washington, Illinois, family meets with Trump as ‘victims of Obamacare’

Journal Star (Peoria, IL)

July 25--A Washington, Ill., family was in Washington, D.C., on Monday to urge senators to vote in favor of the impending motion to proceed on yet-to-be-revealed health care legislation.

The Witzig family was among four families invited to meet with President Donald Trump and other members of the administration Monday ahead of a looming vote in the Senate to move forward with GOP plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

These "victims of Obamacare," as they are referred to in a White House news release, met with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price and Seema Verma, administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The Senate is expected to vote as soon as Tuesday on a motion to proceed on a health care plan orchestrated by Republican leaders that has yet to be made public.

Andy Witzig, a self-employed engineering consultant, and his wife, Erin, purchase health insurance for themselves and their six children, including youngest daughter Poppy, who has a rare genetic condition that causes her extremely fragile skin to blister easily. Poppy wears expensive specialty bandages every day.

Since the implementation of Obamacare, Erin wrote on the family's behalf, the private insurance plan has repeatedly been discontinued and replaced with more expensive plans that make it more difficult to get the specialized care that Poppy requires.

"Poppy's family has to spend precious time and tremendous resources fighting for exceptions for Poppy," Trump said in a speech while flanked by the Witzig family and other families from across the country.

"We actually thought in the beginning (Obamacare) was going to be a benefit to us and we were a little bit excited about it. However, every year it has changed and, at this point now, we can't get the bandages she needs. She can't see the doctor she needs," Erin Witzig is quoted saying in the White House release.

Republican leaders in the House, Senate and White House have championed a "repeal and replace" of the former president's legacy legislation. Several previous iterations of the proposal have failed for lack of party support, and nonpartisan analysis suggested the plans would have increased the number of uninsured Americans by tens of millions. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. is expected to introduce a new plan in the Senate this week, the specifics of which have not been released -- including whether the plan is a replacement for Obamacare of simply a repeal.

The Journal Star was unable to interview the Witzig family directly.

Laura Nightengale is the Journal Star's health and lifestyle reporter. She can be reached at 686-3181 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @lauranight.

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