Appleseed Statement on Senate Health Care Bill

Senate wisely rejects bill to strip health insurance for thousands of Nebraskans who need it most

LINCOLN – Early this morning the U.S. Senate voted down its latest version of a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the so-called “Skinny Repeal,” which was projected to cause at least 16 million Americans to lose health insurance, drive up premiums, and create massive instability in the insurance market.

Nebraska Appleseed Deputy Health Care Director Molly McCleery issued the following statement on the vote:

“We applaud the Senators who voted today to protect quality health coverage for millions of Americans, including tens of thousands of our neighbors here in Nebraska,” McCleery said. “Passing this bill would have been a risky setback for thousands of Nebraskans who need care the most, including people with low incomes, seniors, children, and our neighbors with disabilities. Many of these Nebraskans joined millions of Americans across the country in contacting their lawmakers to share how important the ACA has been to their families.

“While Nebraskans avoided this danger today, there are areas of our health care system that certainly need improvement. We urge our elected leaders to work deliberatively and collaboratively with informed input from doctors, hospitals, and other health care stakeholders to improve affordability for those who still can’t afford coverage and make sure everyone can get the medical care they need when they need it.”