The wait is finally over. Senate Republicans have released a "discussion draft" of their health care bill, The Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. This language is the culmination of secret drafting by a few Republican Senators, and it is as harmful to millions of Americans and as mean as we expected.
Said Center for Medicare Advocacy Executive Director Judith Stein, "Never in 40 years of Medicare & Health care advocacy have I witnessed the kind of secrecy, and determination to take away health coverage we are witnessing today."
The Senate bill includes:
- The end of Medicaid expansion: Millions will lose coverage
- Medicaid per capita caps: Cuts would actually deepen over time
- Repeal of Medicare tax increase: Undermines Medicare’s finances.
The Center expects there will be amendments offered in the coming days, but make no mistake, this bill cannot be improved – it must be scrapped. "Simply put, this legislation is not a health care bill,’ said Ms. Stein. “A health care bill would strengthen coverage and delivery programs. This bill gratuitously weakens Medicare, decimates Medicaid, and guts insurance for over 20 million people."
Don't let the Senate gut health care! Contact your Senators and tell them to protect your care.
- Call your Senators: 1-866-426-2631. (Need Call scripts/talking points?)
- Follow up with an email using this handy tool from our friends at Families USA.
Ready to do more?
- Attend events and rallies in your state.
- Use social media to reach Senators, state and local policymakers and your networks
- Shareable graphic: Senator, Who Will Lose Medicaid Coverage First?
- Shareable graphic: 5 Facts about Medicaid
- Generate media coverage of this issue, including op-eds and letters to the editor
Thank you for helping #ProtectOurCare!