“The House vote today repealing the Affordable Care Act and substituting a convoluted mix of provisions that will hurt consumers and impact the many components of our health care system, is a disgraceful act in our country’s long struggle to provide affordable quality health care to all Americans. The House Bill appears designed primarily to deliver on a campaign promise that was made with no consideration whatsoever to its consequences.

“The bill passed today has no price tag and no evaluation of its impact by the Congressional Budget Office. What we do know is that the wealthiest Americans will now get a tax cut because they won’t have to pay to fund the health care that so many in our country cannot afford.

“The shift of Medicaid to the states is merely a device to disguise the ultimate fate of that widely used and desperately needed program — its demise as we know it due to massive underfunding. The budget office noted that previous versions of the same bill would end health care for 24 million people. The bill passed also purports to ensure care for those with pre-existing conditions, but grossly underfunds that care as well, and would consider sexual assault and domestic violence pre-existing conditions. Further, health care services critical for women are eliminated including the requirement that plans cover maternity and newborn care or access to preventive and contraceptive care, and it defunds Planned Parenthood.

“The Senate must reject this disastrous and short-sighted campaign to destroy the Affordable Care Act and instead focus on any needed fixes that strengthen the health care system we have. We call on all senators to vote no on repeal and replacement.”

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