Massachusetts lawmakers, health care groups decry passage of House GOP's Obamacare repeal plan

Congress Rdp

In this image provided by House Television, the final total on the vote on the Republicans health care bill is displayed at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday, May 4, 2017. Relieved Republicans muscled their health care bill through the House, taking their biggest step toward dismantling the Obama health care overhaul since Donald Trump took office. (House Television via AP)

(AP)

Members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation, Gov. Charlie Baker and various health care advocacy groups slammed U.S. House Republicans Thursday for passing legislation that aims to dismantle much of the Affordable Care Act.

Democrats and other opponents of the so-called "American Health Care Act" decried the House's 217 to 213-vote passage of the bill, which they argued could increase insurance costs for those with pre-existing conditions and kick millions off health coverage, among other things.

But while opponents blasted the House's passage of the controversial health care bill, Republicans joined President Donald Trump for an impromptu news conference touting the legislative victory.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, who urged against the AHCA in a Thursday speech on the House floor, took aim at Republicans for bringing the bill up for a vote despite the lack of a Congressional Budget Office analysis or a public hearing.

"Republicans followed through on seven years of threats to destroy the health care of millions of Americans by forcing them to pay more for worse coverage," he said in a statement. "Instead of working with Democrats to improve health care in this country, Republicans voted to remove key protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions, take away health insurance from 24 million, shorten the life of Medicare and impose an age tax on seniors - all to pay for a giant tax cut for the wealthy."

Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, further argued that the legislation "breaks nearly every promise that President Trump made to the American people on health care."

Calling the AHCA "Trumpcare," Congressman Seth Moulton, D-Salem, joined Neal in arguing that it's "nothing but a tax cut for billionaires paid for not just in dollars and cents, but in the lives and health and welfare of working people."

"Because of Trumpcare, Americans will live sicker and die sooner," he said in a statement.

The Massachusetts Democrat, however, argued that he's not giving up on efforts to push back against the bill, and encouraged Americans to also speak out against it.

"Congress failed the American people today, but it's not over yet. The fight for health care as a human right goes on in the Senate," he said. "We need the American people to speak out now more than ever."

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, called the House GOP plan "an outrage, an abomination," and argued that Congress needs to stop further progress on the bill.

"The resistance needs to continue. We need to now look at the United States Senate," he said. "Our two senators, Senator (Ed) Markey and Senator (Elizabeth) Warren are on the right side of this issue and they're going to be fighting."

Warren affirmed that Senate Democrats will work to ensure health care "is a basic human right" for everyone in America.

Congressman Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline, added that "if there is any silver lining to this vote it is that the American people are engaged, awake and on notice like never before."

"It is a long road to the president's desk," he said in a statement. "We will be fighting every step of the way."

U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston, meanwhile, said he's "very concerned about the impact of this proposal on families in Massachusetts and across the country."

"I continue to call on my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to make a sincere, bipartisan effort to improve the Affordable Care Act, rather than haphazardly repealing provisions and making no attempts to decrease healthcare costs for everyday Americans," he said.

Congressman Bill Keating, D-Bourne, contended that by supporting the bill, GOP lawmakers "paid off their political debts at the expense of every hard-working American."

"Simply put, at least 24 million Americans will lose their health insurance under this plan," he said in a statement. "Even if you don't lose your insurance, you will be paying more for less coverage."

Baker, who joined members of the state's congressional delegation in criticizing House Republicans' advancement of the AHCA, raised specific concerns about the impacts the measure could have on Massachusetts.

"I am disappointed by today's vote as this bill would significantly reduce critical funds for the Commonwealth's health care system," he said in a statement. "As the U.S. Senate takes up this bill, we will continue to advocate for the Commonwealth's priorities so that all residents have access to the health coverage they need."

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, a Democrat, joined Baker in expressing disappointment over the House's advancement of the GOP health care bill.

"I stand with our congressional delegation in opposing this harmful proposal and vow to continue working to ensure that our residents have access to adequate, affordable health care," he said in a statement.

Lynn Nicholas, president & CEO of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, meanwhile, lauded state lawmakers' opposition to the GOP health care plan, noting that her organizations' members are "distressed" by Trump and congressional leaders' latest efforts to repeal the ACA.

"Today's passage of an amended version of the American Health Care Act threatens to severely damage the progress our state and country have made in healthcare access, affordability and delivery," she said. "Most troubling, it will put health coverage in jeopardy for many Americans, particularly for older and sicker patients."

Arguing that Massachusetts "serves as an example of how the ACA's approach to expanding access to affordable health coverage can be successful nationally if given the time and support it deserves," Nicholas said the hospital community strongly opposes efforts to repeal former President Barack Obama's signature health care law.

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts further called the Republican-backed plan "the worst women's health legislation in a generation."

"House Republicans just voted to kick millions of people off of their health insurance and told women across the country that their health does not matter," said Jennifer Childs-Rosha, the group's president and CEO.

Jeffrey Hulburt, CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization, meanwhile, contended that Congress' focus should be on cutting health care costs, not shifting the burden of it.

"The AHCA deals primarily with shifting the cost of care. Unfortunately, as it stands, it appears most of the cost burden would shift to people with pre-existing conditions," he said. "House Republicans want to replace the protections Obamacare provides for those with pre-existing conditions with federally funded, high-risk pools; however, it is unclear whether the amount allocated is enough to provide affordable access to care to everyone who need it."

"That's why our focus should instead be on innovative models and approaches that enable us to reduce the cost of health care so that it isn't so expensive to begin with," he continued.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.