• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
California Health Advocates

California Health Advocates

  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact
    • Our Team
    • Mission
    • Education Services
    • About HICAP
    • Press
    • Testimonials
  • MEDICARE COUNSELING
  • Fact Sheets
  • Topics
    • The Basics
    • Prescription Drugs
    • Low-Income Help
    • Medigap
    • Medicare Advantage
    • Other Health Insurance
    • Appeals
    • Billing & Claims
    • Disabilities
    • Long-Term Care
    • Tribal Nations & Medicare
    • Health Care Reform
    • Advocacy & Policy
    • Glossary
  • Fraud & Abuse
  • Blog
  • Donate

We Won a Victory for Health Care Last Week & Our Vigilance Must Continue

California Health Advocates > Health Care Reform > We Won a Victory for Health Care Last Week & Our Vigilance Must Continue

Posted by Karen Fletcher on March 27, 2017

Last week’s canceled vote on the GOP’s American Health Care Act (AHCA) marks a victory in health care for millions of Americans young to old. Thanks to the enormous public outcry, speaking out from advocates across the country, and opposition efforts by both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, House Speaker Paul Ryan called off the vote for a 2nd time on Friday, March 24, 2017.

The AHCA undermines the very core value that health care is a human right, and would have taken away insurance for over 24 million people by 2026. It would have undermined the essence of Medicaid, which is to provide care for those in need, by cutting $800 billion from the program and forcing states to cap services for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, older adults, seniors requiring long term care services, and more. It would have given tax breaks for the wealthy and for pharmaceutical companies, while imposing an “age tax” on adults ages 50-64, allowing companies to charge these adults 5 times as much as young people. This would have raised people’s premiums by as much as $12,900, which still doesn’t account for any deductible, co-insurance or copayment costs.

The AHCA also would have raised Medicare Part B premiums and shortened the life of the Medicare Trust Fund.

In Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s press conference after the vote cancellation last week, he asked, “Are all of us willing to give a little to get something done? Are we willing to say yes to the good, the very good, even if it’s not the perfect?”

In short, this legislation would have been disastrous for the health of millions. It was not about “giving a little to get something done”, nor was it “good” for the majority of Americans. It was about taking health care away from those who need it most.

Thank you for all your efforts in saying no to the AHCA and standing for health care access and rights for millions of children, older adults, and women and men across the country. We will continue to be vigilant in protecting the integrity and longevity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs now and for years to come.

Filed Under: Health Care Reform, Low-Income help, Medicare Basics, Professionals

Previous Post: « Over 8,800 Californians Affected By Largest Long-Term Care Insurance Company Insolvency
Next Post: How to Take a Better Break ~ A Non-Medicare Tip on Self Care »

About Karen Fletcher

Our blogger Karen J. Fletcher is CHA's publications consultant. She provides technical expertise, writing and research on Medicare, health disparities and other health care issues. With a Masters in Public Health from UC Berkeley, she serves in health advocacy as a trainer and consultant. See her current articles.

Related Posts

  • Tell Congress to Say Yes to Medicare Improvements ~ Now is the Time!
  • How Does the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 Affect Medicare?
  • Call Today to Save Our Health Care & Say No to AHCA ~ National Call-In Day 6/14
  • The AHCA Would Leave Many Older Californians Without Health Care

Primary Sidebar

Change Text Size

  • 100%  110%  120%  130%  

News & Blog Categories

  • Medicare Advantage
  • Low-Income help
  • Medicare & Disabilities
  • Medicare Basics
  • Prescription Drugs
  • Medicare & Other Health Insurance
  • Medicare Billings, Claims & Appeals
  • Health Care Disparities
  • Fraud & Abuse

—

  • COVID-19
  • Resources
  • Health Care Reform
  • Long-Term Care
  • CHA News

—

  • Advocacy & Policy
  • Letters and Comments to Policymakers
  • Legislative and Congressional Testimony
  • Policy Briefs

Send Us Comment

Do you have comments or concerns about your Medicare coverage? Issues regarding getting your needed prescriptions from your Part D plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan representative's marketing practices? Let us know at comments@cahealthadvocates.org.

We are dedicated to making Medicare's program work well for all beneficiaries. Your feedback from your own or your client's concerns and experiences with Medicare, will guide our Medicare advocacy efforts with key policy and decision-makers in both California and nationally with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress.

Archives

Donate Today

Footer

Sign up for our newsletter

Choose the news you'd like to receive

Important Links

  • About Us
  • Fact Sheets
  • Blog
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Statement

Follow Us

Copyright © 2022 · California Health Advocates · Web Design by TWK Web and Print Design · Log in