June 21, 2017Gronda Morin

aside Dear Resistance: It Is Time To Man The Phones, Call The US Senators About The AHCA Bill

Image result for photos of 4th july celebrations in washington dcD-Day for the passage of the republican (AHCA) healthcare bill by the US Senate, is set for just before July 4, 2017. This is not a bill that this country wants for its birthday celebration gift. Talk about, “bah-humbug!

By now, most of us, as part of the resistance have heard that for almost two months, 13 republican senators (no women or Black members welcomed) have been working on a SECRET health care bill, based mostly on the AHCA Bill passed by the US House of Representatives and which only 17% of the public favored. Even their fellow republican senate colleagues would have you believe that they are also in the dark about the contents of this bill.

Image result for photos of the 13 senators working on ahcaLed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the 13 architects/ senators  of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) — also known as Trumpcare —have yet to release a text of its work product, though some reports state that they plan to release it on Thursday, June 22, 2017, with the goal of pushing through a vote as the session ends on July 4.

As per the May 8, 2017 New York Times report by Robert Pear, “The Republicans’ working group includes Mr. McConnell and three other members of the Republican leadership: John Cornyn of Texas, the majority whip; John Thune of South Dakota, the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference; and John Barrasso of Wyoming, the chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, who has been a point man for the party on health care.”

Editorial cartoon on Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan and ObamacareThe group includes three committee chairmen: Mr. (Orrin G.) Hatch; Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, chairman of the Senate health committee; and Senator Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming, the head of the Budget Committee.”

“The other senators in the Republican working group are from states that have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act: Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Rob Portman of Ohio and Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania.”

The other two participating senators are Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah.

Editorial cartoon on health care and Obamacare and RepublicansOn background: This bill being formatted in secret within a 2 month time frame before passage, compares to Obamacare (ACA Affordable Care Act), before passage in 2009, which was subject to over 50 Senate Finance Committee meetings, more than 47 Senate HELP Committee Meetings, hundreds of mark-ups and amendments (many from republicans), a six-day public mark-up period, and 25 consecutive days to legislate before its final passage which was almost a two year process. It was one of the longest consecutive sessions for a single bill in Senate history.

Editorial cartoon on President Donald Trump and health care

The republican senators are arguing that they have to honor their commitments made over 7 years to repeal/ replace Obamacare to their voters. But this should mean that they would feel obligated to fulfill the entire promise to their constituents which included increased better healthcare insurance coverage access to more peoples at a lower cost and not just the repeal part.

The 4 key points about Trumpcare to remember are: 1.) That up to twenty million Americans will be denied coverage that was previously available to them under Obamacare; 2.) That as per AARP.org,, the Medicaid health program for the poor will suffer severe cuts to the tune of $800 billion dollars by 2026 and 3.) That the main goal of Trumpcare by republicans is to create tax savings for the wealthy worth billions of dollars as a precursor to a tax reform bill; 4.) That Obamacare is not failing despite republicans’ assertions claiming otherwise and all of the republican lawmakers’ many attempts to sabotage and kill it. BUT IT DOES NEED FIXING, which is what the vast majority of Americans want.

 

Image result for photos of the 13 senators working on ahca
HERE ARE THE 13 SCROOGES/ SENATORS

Other key provisions which were part of the AHCA House bill  are that it would cut off federal funds for Planned Parenthood for a year as well as prohibiting the use of federal tax credits to buy insurance that includes coverage of abortion. It would also allow states to seek waivers of provisions of the (ACA) Affordable Care Act that require insurers to cover maternity care and pre-existing conditions.

Editorial cartoon on Republicans and health careWe All need to start blitz calling / contacting THESE GENTLEMEN via tweets, emails, postcards, personal visits to lawmaker offices of at least all the 13 senators working on this AHCA Act. This is the time for some ad-hoc ANTI-AHCA protests. Then we can call the remaining republican senators.

Here are some quick talking points to use when contacting the senators as suggested by a fellow blogger, Keith of Musingsofanoldfart.com:

-“This issue is too important and complex to be done in secret over 2 months by 13 white men; it required deliberate thought with factual information.
– the ACA is working reasonably well but needs improvements.
– it is disappointing that the ACA has been sabotaged by holding back promised payments to insurers that caused even higher premiums.
– this bill will lead to the loss of coverage for millions of Americans.”

The main US Senate phone line 202-225-3121 (202-224-3121) or  YOU CAN FIND PHONE NUMBERS FOR EVERY SENATOR HERE. or U.S. Senate: Senators of the 115th Congress

15 comments

  1. Seems like a done deal if Repubs fast-track it thru the house and senate where they have the majority.
    This administration is not for the ppl, it’s all about the money! I’m sure Trump made some sweet backroom deals with the Insurance companies, and probable kickbacks for the medical establishment.

    Sadly, his ObamaCare lite is not gonna cut it, and yet the ACA cannot continue in it’s current form. Both parties need to come together, put aside the politics and find a working solution, otherwise were screwed!

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  2. Thank you, dear Gronda, for this valuable information and the inspiration to get busy writing and phoning! This is an abomination and further proof, as if we needed any, that the Republicans in Congress consider We The People as nothing more than pawns in their game. Funny, isn’t it, that years back Mitch McConnell yelled “foul”, claiming that Congress worked on ACA behind closed doors, and now he is doing what he falsely accused them of. Thanks again for this post … I shall re-blog so we can get the word out to as many as possible.

    Hugs!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Jill,

      The context of the AHCA bill is supposed to be shared with the public this Thursday am. and so it is important that these lawmakers hear from us.

      Thanks a million times over for your support and for this reblog.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Liked by 1 person

        • Dear Jill,

          “We the people” are a lot of pebbles which can add up to a mountainous obstacle. Thanks a million times over for your support in helping to spread the word with your reblog. I loved your introduction write-up.

          Hugs, Gronda

          Liked by 1 person

        • Indeed we can add up to a huge obstacle … and the latest is that some senators are saying they will not support the bill. All we need is 3! Fingers crossed. You are most welcome … this is information that NEEDS to be shared and I am happy to help!
          Hugs!!!

          Liked by 1 person

  5. Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
    Senator Mitch McConnell, who criticized Democrats for working on ACA (Obamacare) behind closed doors, has been working for several weeks on a bill to “repeal and replace” ACA … behind closed doors. A bit of hypocrisy? The bill is designed to repeal ACA, which has a solid foundation but needs some additional work. But the kicker is the ‘replace’ part … the replacement would rob many of the health insurance they currently have. Mitch and his goons are determined to try to ram the bill through prior to the July 4th break with little or no discussion, and likely without an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The bill does NOTHING to serve We The People, but is instead geared toward the wealth. Blogger and friend Gronda is, as always, on top of this and I am sharing her post because she provides valuable information regarding how We The People can … and MUST … make our voices heard by our elected senators. Please take a few minutes today, not only to read this excellent information, but to reach out to your senators and let them know how you feel about their underhanded tactics and about this abominable “health care” bill. Thank you Gronda for your hard work and the information you provide us all!

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  6. Gronda, thanks for doing this. This issue is too complex to do it secretively and without input from all parties. Also, they owe it to us Americans to use data rather rhetoric to base decisions off of. Truth be told, the ACA has fixable problems and has a framework in place. And, the Republicans need to acknowledge their role in making premiums higher than what they would have been. They tried to win an argument on the backs of Americans, many who are Republicans.

    The other key comment is the AHCA as modified will likely cause a recession with new uninsureds have to choose between foregoing full cost services and using other budget dollars, spending less elsewhere. Keith

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Keith,

      Despite all the republicans steps to sabotage it, the ACA is not on a “death spiral.” The republicans have been trying to kill the ACA from its inception including fighting it in the courts, publicly defaming it, having numerous republican led states decline to expand Medicaid, and then for their coup d’etat, they refused to fund “risk corridors” which is typical of insurance companies (reinsurance) as was committed to in Obamacare (ACA) IN THE 2016 OMNIBUS BILL.

      That ACA is still a viable program is in the face of all the republicans’ opposition, is in the miracle category. Could this be because, there is a real need for the program?

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