Friday, July 21, 2017

What's next at the national level with health care reform?

The Colorado Health Policy Coalition shared this on Monday:

"This weekend, Senator McConnell announced that the US Senate would not take up a vote on the federal health care bill this week. The delay was announced after Senator John McCain underwent an unexpected surgery on Friday to remove a blood clot above his eye. It was also announced over the weekend that the Congressional Budget Office’s revised analysis of the Senate legislation will not be released today (Monday), but is still expected sometime this week. There is no new timetable for action on the Senate bill.

This delay in the political process provides a good opportunity to catch up on the policy included in the latest proposal. Here are some useful resources re: what is included in the Senate proposals and how the policy changes would impact states, including Colorado:
·      Summary from Dr. Timothy Jost on Health Affairs Blog (July 13, 2017)
·      Updated interactive chart comparing current law with House and Senate bills from Kaiser Family Foundation (July 13, 2017)
·      Avalere Health presentation to the National Governor’s Association re: BCRA – Key Considerations for Governors (attached – July 2017)

·      Analysis of how the congressional proposals will impact Colorado from the CO Health Institute (June 23, 2017)"

 The latest from the Protect Our Care Campaign:
"What a rollercoaster! So far this week the repeal effort has been dead, then alive, then dead, and now alive again. And things continue to change rapidly, but the fact they are having so much trouble getting the votes to pass repeal is thanks to your hard work and tireless actions.

 Here's where we are at the moment. The Senate is expected to vote on a "motion to proceed" to start debate on a repeal bill early next week. What bill they vote on is an open question, whether it's a tweaked version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) or a bill that would repeal many components of the ACA without any replacement (repeal without replace). Either way we know the bill will be very bad for Colorado.

Keep up the pressure. Contact your Senators! Tell them to reject repeal and start over with a bipartisan process!
Senator Gardner - Denver: 303-391-5777 DC: 202-224-5941
Senator Bennet - Denver: 303-455-7600 DC: 202-224-5852

If the Senate passes a repeal without replace (Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act), it will:
  • Take away health coverage from at least 600,000 Coloradans
  • Take away health coverage away from 17 million Americans next year
  • Take away health coverage away from 32 million Americans by 2026
  • Give $613 billion in tax cuts to the wealthy while ending the Medicaid expansion and financial assistance to make private insurance more affordable
  • Premiums would rise 25% next year and double by 2026
  • The health insurance market would likely go quickly into a death spiral
If the Senate passes the revised BCRA, it will:
  • Take away health coverage from more than 600,000 Coloradans
  • Take away health coverage away from 15 million Americans next year
  • Take away health coverage away from 22 million Americans by 2026
  • Give $541 billion in tax breaks to the wealthy and insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and other big corporations
  • Gut Medicaid with over $700 billion in cuts, leaving a $15 billion hole in Colorado's state budget
  • Allow insurers to offer skimpy plans with average deductibles of $13,000 for an individual while cutting financial assistance to make coverage more affordable
  • Older people will get charged much higher premiums
  • Guts protections for people with pre-existing conditions and will price sick people out of health insurance (if Cruz Amendment is included in the bill)
Join an event to keep the pressure on!
This Friday, July 21st, 4-6pm: Honk & Wave Health Care: Senator Gardner has been avoiding speaking to constitutents since January. Yet, he's scheduled to speak at the opening session of the Western Conservative Summit this Friday evening. Let's send him a message that Coloradans won't let our voices go unheard on health care. Let's get the cars honking and makes some noise!
We will be meeting at the Big Blue Gear along 14th Ave. outside the Colorado Convention Center Building. We will bring some signs with us. If you bring your own, make sure the writing is big enough for drivers to read quickly!
Possible sign language includes: "Honk to tell Sen. Gardner to #RejectRepeal" or "Honk to tell Sen. Gardner to #SaveMedicaid"
July 24th/25th: Healthcare Vigil: 6:00am outside of Senator Gardner's office at Skyline Park in Denver. (subject to change according to day of expected vote)
August 1: Mike Coffman town hall, Adams County. Register here.
August 8, Auraria Campus: Save My Care Bus Tour

Sample Tweets and Facebook posts: Use social media to tell our Senators to reject repeal and protect health care for Coloradans! Tag @SenCoryGardner, @SenBennetCO
  • .@SenCoryGardner BCRA or straight repeal, this bill cannot be fixed. #VoteNo Start over with bipartisan process to #ProtectOurCare
  • .@SenCoryGardner The proposed bill will increase costs for seniors & gut care for children, seniors & people w/disabilities #VoteNo
  • .@SenCoryGardner Don't take away health insurance from 600k Coloradans to give millionaires & insurance/Rx companies  big tax breaks #VoteNo
  • .@SenBennetCO The #ACA has helped 600k Coloradans get health insurance, thanks for your work to #RejectRepeal #ProtectOurCare
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