MARCH 24, 2017
HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) –
Lawmakers in Connecticut are responding to the showdown over healthcare in Washington.
President Donald Trump is pushing his plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, but democrats and many republicans don’t like it.
A vote in the House of Representatives was postponed.
In Connecticut, more than 100,000 are covered by the Affordable Care Act.
Thursday is the seventh anniversary of the act, and many feel the current system is not perfect and needs improvement, but they are more concerned about what could replace it, like Catherine Kriss.
Kriss was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. With medication and support services, she’s living a better life. Under “Trumpcare,” her meds would no longer be covered.
“The meds I am on are very expensive and I would not be able to afford them,” Kriss said.
The replacement for Obamacare would decrease the cost of premiums, but would cut back on coverage for emergency room visits, maternity care, prescription drugs and mental health care.
CHR is a non-profit that helps Kriss and 22,000 others in Connecticut who struggle with mental illness and addiction.
“If they lose coverage as a result of these changes, they lose jobs, they lose housing,” said CHR President Heather Gates.
“You are going to restore the same problems we had before Obamacare with no attempt to catch problems early,” said Dr. Howard Selinger, who teaches medical students at Quinnipiac University.
He said Trumpcare gets rid of preventative care.
“Americans are getting to understand this bill. Here’s what it is…pay more-get less,” said Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-CT).
President Trump is not able to convince moderate republicans this is a good health plan, they may have something else Friday morning.
Right now 26 republicans are against it and that would defeat it.
Gov. Dannel Malloy released a statement on Thursday, saying “Since its adoption, the number of uninsured people living in Connecticut has been cut in half from over eight percent to under four percent,” Malloy said. “Because of the Affordable Care Act, half a million people in Connecticut have gained health coverage that they previously did not have access to, and in return, greater access to the care and advice they need to live healthy, productive lives. Our state has been a national leader in health and human services, especially the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and we want to continue to make gains that support public health care and economic security. While nearly all of us agree that we want to continue to make improvements that will reduce costs for consumers even lower while increasing access to care, we are at a turning point in our country where some are advocating to dismantle this law and roll back the progress we’ve made over the last seven years. We cannot go down a road – simply for political purposes – that will result in millions losing coverage, as nearly every study has shown Trumpcare will do. Let’s continue to make improvements to the current system and not risk the lives of millions who depend on it.”
Lt. Governor Wyman, Chair of the Board of Directors of Access Health CT, said, “Trumpcare isn’t a healthcare plan, it’s a tax reduction plan for wealthy people. It will raise costs for older adults and for working families, and it will shrink the number of healthy people in the insurance pool – that will also cause costs to go up for everyone. The Republicans have said time and again that they would expand access to healthcare and reduce costs. Instead, they have put forward a plan that does exactly the opposite. Trumpcare puts health insurance out of reach of more Americans.”
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