News Release

Seniors and their advocates are cautiously breathing a sigh of relief over the failed GOP effort to bring the Graham-Cassidy bill up for a vote.  The window to pass Obamacare repeal with a simple majority as part of the 2017 budget process officially closes at midnight Sunday.  Grass roots activism by National Committee members and supporters and hundreds of like-minded groups – including courageous protesters who came to Capitol Hill in braces, crutches, and wheelchairs – helped beat back this latest attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.  We are grateful to Senators John McCain and Susan Collins for putting principle over party and opposing the bill.

National Committee President and CEO Max Richtman stated, “This fight is not over. As long as the current majority party controls all three branches of government, the possibility of repealing the Affordable Care Act remains viable.  Opponents of the ACA will not give up.  They will likely try to ‘repeal and replace’ again next year. Americans will be traumatized again as their health coverage is jeopardized by a plan that would effectively deny coverage of pre-existing conditions and decimate Medicaid with hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts.

Seniors understand that the Affordable Care Act is not perfect – and through the advocacy arm of the National Committee, they will continue to support bipartisan efforts to stabilize the nation’s insurance markets.  We support the efforts of Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray to craft a bipartisan fix for the ACA. It would be the height of irresponsibility for the majority party to allow insurance markets to languish in uncertainty as we approach next year’s enrollment period.”

 

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The National Committee, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization acts in the interests of its membership through advocacy, education, services, grassroots efforts and the leadership of the Board of Directors and professional staff.  The work of the National Committee is directed toward developing better-informed citizens and voters.

Media Inquiries to:

Pamela Causey 202-216-8378/202-236-2123

Walter Gottlieb 202-216-8414