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Today I’m participating in my first @WaysMeansCmte hearing, on protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions.
This topic and the closely related topic of making healthcare more affordable are some of the most important issues to the people we were elected to serve. 1/
This topic and the closely related topic of making healthcare more affordable are some of the most important issues to the people we were elected to serve. 1/
This hearing has been strange -- many of my colleagues on the other side seem to have amnesia about how their 2017 health care bill worked.
They keep saying they've always been in favor of protecting pre-existing conditions. Reminder: 2/
They keep saying they've always been in favor of protecting pre-existing conditions. Reminder: 2/
Today they are saying "of course we all want to make healthcare more affordable." But the bill they introduced in 2017, the least popular bill in US history, by some measures, would have driven costs up while also cutting benefits.
These are facts: 3/
These are facts: 3/
They are saying protecting people with pre-existing conditions and trying to lower healthcare costs are areas of "bipartisan agreement."
In 2017 they passed a bill that would have killed protections and raised costs without even hold hearings on it. 4/
In 2017 they passed a bill that would have killed protections and raised costs without even hold hearings on it. 4/
After Senator McCain gave that awful bill the thumbs down, Republicans in Congress and the Administration had a chance to start over and work in a bipartisan way to lower Americans' healthcare costs.
Instead they turned to sabotage: 5/
Instead they turned to sabotage: 5/
In @WaysMeansCmte today, I entered four letters into the record relating to the topic of our hearing.
Here are some of the things we brought up with our GOP colleagues, beginning in 2017 when I pointed out that sabotaging CSR payments would drive up premiums (it did!): 6/
Here are some of the things we brought up with our GOP colleagues, beginning in 2017 when I pointed out that sabotaging CSR payments would drive up premiums (it did!): 6/
Here's another letter I led with Democratic colleagues in 2017, asking the Administration not to cut open enrollment for healthcare signups, an obvious attempt to prevent people from getting covered.
Republicans in Congress didn't lift a finger to stop this sabotage. 7/
Republicans in Congress didn't lift a finger to stop this sabotage. 7/
When these and other attempts to sabotage the healthcare system led to skyrocketing premiums in Virginia last May, I led another request to the Administration to stop the sabotage and work with us on lowering healthcare costs.
Republicans held 0 hearings and moved 0 bills. 8/
Republicans held 0 hearings and moved 0 bills. 8/
In fact, Republican AG's across the country pushed a lawsuit which would threaten pre-existing condition protections for millions of Americans.
The Trump Administration refused to fight the lawsuit, and Republicans in Congress did nothing to help despite our requests: 9/
The Trump Administration refused to fight the lawsuit, and Republicans in Congress did nothing to help despite our requests: 9/
So when I hear my colleagues talk about wanting lower costs and having always been for protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions, I'm sorry, that just isn't true.
That isn't what they did when they were in charge, and Americans know that. 10/10
That isn't what they did when they were in charge, and Americans know that. 10/10
