Below is an urgent update from our partners Justice in Aging on the imminent vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and 4 important actions for today!
Yesterday, the Senate took a reckless and irresponsible step towards gutting healthcare for older adults and others, and removing critical consumer protections that save lives. With Vice President Pence casting the tie-breaking vote, the Senate voted to begin a curtailed 20-hour debate on several bills that would drastically change our health care system, stripping coverage from millions of Americans and cutting over $750 billion from Medicaid. Any bill that emerges from such a chaotic process would have devastating effects on older Americans and their families.
By the end of this week, Senators will be asked to vote on some version of a repeal bill that they have not read or evaluated. This unprecedented, secretive process is completely unacceptable.
No one knows what could happen in this rush to legislate. Medicaid cuts and caps would threaten the very heart of the Medicaid program, eliminating the guarantee that Medicaid will be there when seniors need it most. Proposals to change the individual market would cause older Americans to face unaffordable premiums through the combination of an “age tax” and elimination of protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
The stakes could not be higher. We call on the Senate to put an immediate end to this chaotic and dangerous process and work in a bipartisan manner to improve the Affordable Care Act.
This fight is not over. If not for the steady pushback by advocates, it would have been over months ago.
Here are four things you can do and urge your networks to do now:
Call 202-224-3121 and tell your Senators who voted to proceed that it’s unacceptable to cut Medicaid and take away health care from Americans. Urge them to work in a bipartisan manner to improve health care for older adults and others. (see comments for link of Senators who voted to proceed)
Call 202-224-3121 to thank your Senators who voted no for doing the right thing, and urge them to stay strong. Tell them you’re counting on them. (See comments for link to Senators who voted no)
Tweet at your Senators using the hashtags #KilltheBill, #ProtectOurCare, #SaveMedicaid, #VoteNo
Use our social media toolkit to help you – together, we can make the difference!
