Healthcare Committee

14Jun

6/14: Senate Transparency with the American Healthcare Act

On June 7th, Speaker Mitch McConnell used “Rule 14” to fast track the AHCA allowing the bill to bypass committee debate and hearings and go directly to the Senate floor for a vote. The “secret” Senate plan is to be submitted to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) June 13th without any public release. As Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo, Senate Finance Committee, said, “We have no idea what’s being proposed… There’s a group of guys in a back room somewhere that are making these decisions…. We’re not even going to have a hearing on a bill that impacts one-sixth of our economy….”

The AHCA passed in the House last month, according to the CBO, will leave 23 million more Americans uninsured and would reduce Medicaid funding by $834 billion and subsidies for individual health insurance by $276 billion. Health care policy and legislation will affect all Americans and requires transparency for a full Senate debate and public review.

NAME OF ISSUE:

AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT (AHCA)

SENATE BILL #:

HR 1628 (previous house bill)

SUGGESTED MEMBER SCRIPT:

My name is _____and I am a constituent from Durango, CO (zip code). I am writing you today about the proposed American Health Care Act Bill. Passing a bill this critical and far reaching, one which affects one-sixth of the US economy, should not be done without further discussion and debate on its consequences. There MUST be transparency. This can be achieved by releasing the bill’s details to the public and by having full Senate hearings and expert testimonies.

I ask you as an American to please vote in the best interests of all Americans.