My dad has dialysis every night. His employer coverage ends at the end of the month. AHCA could…I can’t even say it. My dad…
— Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) May 4, 2017
AHCA just passed in the House, where not a single democrat was for it, and 20 republicans were against it. The vote was largely along party lines with 217 for and 213 against the bill that strives to replace the ACA that Obama put in place during his terms as president.
Some of those who voted ‘yes’ in the House, like Rep. Chris Collins, chose to not even read the bill in its entirety.
The healthcare solution that Trump set forth effectively eliminates the reachability of life-saving for millions of Americans simply because of their ‘pre-existing conditions’ like sexual assault, domestic violence, postpartum depression, anxiety, physical or mental disabilities, or pregnancy. This is just to name a few.
According to this new bill, being a survivor of domestic violence and seeking treatment is going to cost you more than before. It’s a wonder that people come forth at all- what with the economic and the social cost of seeking help. Pregnancy, another apparent pre-existing condition, would rise on the annual premium to $17,320, cites Indivisible Guide.
Rape could also become a pre-exiting condition under TrumpCare. The ACA currently covers 67% of the $6,737 cost. That could all disappear if the bill passes in the Senate.
Those who already struggle to pay for their medical bills get shoved further under the feet of those with the most money in American society. AHCA would cut the amount of money that high-income people pay in taxes by nearly $300 billion dollars over the expanse of 10 years, The New York Times reports. How that makes sense when these are the people with the most ability to pay those taxes, I am unsure of. With this bill, older Americans could be charged up to five times the amount that younger Americans are forced to pay.
With poverty one of the leading factors in senior suicided, this seems like a condition that could cause more harm than good.
It seems like this new bill offers minimal protections to those who are actually in need of affordable healthcare, favoring, instead, the economic elite in our society. Essentially, this proposed bill is a replica of the one Trump proposed before. However, unsurprisingly, it is even more conservative than it’s predecessor.
If you are still on the edge as to whether the people elected to office are actually using the brains given to them, look no further for such an answer than Florida GOP Representative Brain Mast. He is apparently convinced that he is doing a fantastic job at protecting everyone’s healthcare needs in the United States, but unable to give his reasoning for how he is doing so.
GOP @RepBrianMast of Florida can’t explain his vote to repeal Obamacare, immediately after his vote. This is unbelievable. Please retweet. pic.twitter.com/KfvDGaQGb7
— John Aravosis (@aravosis) May 4, 2017
The kind of ignorance and smugness, the blind following to ‘get thing done’ in Congress, and the inability to listen to the consistent is infuriating. Healthcare bills like AHCA are not reflective of the needs of the majority of Americans.
Lucky for many of us, 2018 elections are coming up. If you, or anyone you know, has an issue with that your elected officials are doing with their powers in office you are able to cast your vote to get rid of them. If you want to help out those running against the Republicans who did not vote in your interest, donate to ActBlue.