Palm Beach County U.S. Representatives are 1-3 in their votes on the American Health Care Act.
Republican Congressman Brian Mast voted in favor of the plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, while Democrats Lois Frankel, Ted Deutch and Alcee Hastings all voted against the bill.
The proposal passed through the U.S. House by a 117 - 113 vote and is now headed to the Senate.
Here are statements and comments from all of our local representatives:
U.S. Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18) released the following statement:
“The Affordable Care Act has failed its promises to lower costs, to let people keep their doctor and to let people keep their plans. As a result, Martin and St. Lucie counties have only one insurer on the individual exchange. Premiums and deductibles have become beyond unaffordable for people throughout our community, and I’ve heard from countless families just like Debbie’s from Jensen Beach who saw their premiums double and their deductible balloon to more than $12,000 under the Affordable Care Act.
“The American Health Care Act delivers relief for families by ensuring that you get to choose your coverage and the federal government can’t tax you based on what you think is best for your family. The bill returns control of health care from Washington back to you and restores access to quality, affordable options that are tailored to your individual needs. The bill does all this while also increasing Medicaid funding for Florida by $400 to $500 million dollars that will go to help the most at-risk people in our community get potentially life-saving coverage and treatment.
“Like millions of Americans, I have a pre-existing condition. As a result of my time in the military, I lost both of my legs and sustained other internal injuries that continue to impact my health care to this day. I care about this issue. I believe it is my responsibility to be the staunchest advocate for people out there that also have pre-existing conditions, and I will be. This bill mandates that people cannot be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions and allocates almost $140 billion in additional funding that will subsidize coverage for people with pre-existing conditions to ensure their costs are low, while driving down costs for everybody else as well. Those claiming otherwise are the same people who said ‘if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor’ and they’re putting partisan politics ahead of the people in our community.”
Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Republicans’ sick proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act:
“Shame on the Republicans for resurrecting this monstrosity of a health care bill. It guts the crown jewel of the Affordable Care Act: protection for the millions of Americans with a pre-existing condition. These cancer survivors, children with autism, diabetics, and pregnant women-among many others-will pay higher costs or worse, won’t get covered at all.
This bill takes health care away from more than 24 million hard-working Americans while imposing a crushing Age Tax, forcing older Americans to pay premiums five times higher than what others pay. To add insult to injury, it shortens the lifespan of the Medicare Trust Fund, raiding the funds seniors depend on to retire in dignity.
“House Democrats unanimously stood strong against passage. We cannot go back to the days when people got sicker and some died because they could not afford health care treatment. I call on my Senate colleagues to stop this horrendous bill in its tracks.”
Comments from Rep. Ted Deutch:
The House just voted to pass the disastrous Trumpcare bill. As I told these Planned Parenthood advocates just moments ago, this bill is cruel, it's wrong, and we won't forget that Republicans voted to make being a woman a pre-existing condition again.
There is a lot that Congress could work on to improve healthcare in America. Instead, Republicans forced a partisan bill through the House that will rip away healthcare from 24 million people. This bill will eliminate protections for people with preexisting conditions. From cancer to pregnancy and diabetes to heart disease, half the population will face price gouging based on their health history. The American people want better healthcare; they don’t want higher costs, less coverage, and cuts that will jeopardize Medicare and Medicaid.TrumpCare will allow insurance companies to discriminate against women, charge seniors five times more than younger consumers, hinder our fight against drug overdoses and addiction, and end requirements for essential health benefits like emergency room and mental health care in all health plans. With this vote, Republicans have chosen to put healthcare out of reach for millions.But beyond the substance, the process has been entirely undemocratic. Republicans locked the American people out of the process, drafting this proposal behind closed doors, holding hearings in the middle of the night, and refusing to wait for an updated report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office so that we know even more about the terrible damage this bill will do.I hope the American people are watching and will hold Congress accountable. I voted no, and I will continue to fight for expanded coverage and reduced costs so that all Americans have the right to access the care they need.
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) released the following statement after H.R.1628, the American Health Care Act of 2017 (Trumpcare) passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 217-213:
“The short-sighted bill rammed through today by House Republicans will spell disaster if it’s signed into law. Trumpcare should have been a nonstarter. It will strip healthcare from 24 million Americans, eviscerate essential benefits, and target women and seniors with unfair costs. Anyone who voted for this bill should be ashamed of themselves.
“Passing the buck to the Senate is as hypocritical as it is cowardly. The CBO will surely score this measure before it is taken up by the Senate, and every Republican who voted for Trumpcare will have to defend voting for a measure that cuts care, steals billions from Medicare, and gives handouts to insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry.
“President Donald John Trump and his Republican lackeys have accomplished nothing today. Eventually Republicans will have to get serious about improving healthcare for all Americans and not just the privileged few.”
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