CWA Statement on the Senate's Health Care Plan

Statement by President Chris Shelton, Communications Workers of America, on the health care plan released today by the Senate:

“I wouldn’t have believed it possible but the health care proposal released today by Senate Republicans is in many ways worse than the version that House Republicans adopted.

This plan, drafted in complete secrecy by a handful of Republican leaders – all men – would leave millions of Americans without health care coverage. It allows states to drop coverage for services like maternity care and emergency services.

Many states would be forced to kick low-income and disabled people off their health care coverage once federal funding for the Medicaid program is cut, as this Senate bill would do. The Senate’s attack on Medicaid is even worse than that of the House bill.

Health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers and of course the wealthiest Americans still would get tax cuts, just like in the House version.  Union members fortunate enough to keep their coverage, however, will be punished with higher costs under the “Cadillac tax” that Republicans left in place. 

Many Americans will find the cost of health care premiums simply unaffordable.   

President Trump said that he hoped the Senate version wouldn’t be as ‘mean’ as the bill passed by House Republicans. In fact, it’s worse. It is a slap in the face to millions of hard-working Americans who need and want access to quality, affordable care.

We know where Democratic and Independent Senators stand on health care. Unanimously, they oppose this bill to strip health care coverage from millions of Americans in order to give more tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations. It’s time for those Republican Senators who today are expressing such concern about the impact of this shameful plan on ordinary Americans to show the courage of their convictions.  

As the Senate Republican leadership moves ahead on plans to rush this horrendous bill to a vote early next week, Senators will be hearing from us and millions of working people.”