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Democratic Weekly Address | Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

Uploaded 04/30/2018

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

Washington, D.C. – Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire delivered the Weekly Democratic Address.

 

Transcript

HELLO, I AM JEANNE SHAHEEN, SENATOR FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. I HAVE WORKED ACROSS THE AISLE TO GET THINGS DONE FOR EVERYDAY AMERICANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. PEOPLE HAVE NO HIGHER PRIORITY THAN SECURING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE. THAT IS A BIG REASON WHY THE DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS THOUGHT TO PASS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. NEARLY 23 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE GAINED HEALTH COVERAGE TAKES TO THIS LAW, AND WE HAVE CUT TO THE UNINSURED PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION BY ALMOST HALF.PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS CAN NO LONGER BE DENIED COVERAGE OR CAUSED — CHARGED SKY HIGH PREMIUMS.THE LAW IS A CRITICAL TOOL IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND OTHER STATES HIT HARD BY THIS CRISIS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET LIFESAVING TREATMENT FORTHE FIRST TIME. BUT ALL OF THESE GAMES ARE NOW AT RISK. REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS HAVE TRIED REPEATEDLY TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. THEY FAILED, BUT THEY FOUND OTHER WAYS TO WEAKEN IT AND SABOTAGE THE LAW. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS REPEATEDLY FOUND CONFUSION — SOWED CONFUSION, PLANNING TO LET OBAMA CARE FAILED. HE REFUSES TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS TO KEEP HEALTH INSURANCE AFFORDABLE. HE HAS ALLOWED INSURANCE TO SELL JUNK HEALTH PLANS WITH SKIMPY COVERAGE, DRIVING UP RATES FOR EVERYONE. THESE JUNK PLANS ONCE AGAIN ALLOW INSURERS TO DENY COVERAGE FOR PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SHAMEFUL, THE WAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO KEEP AMERICANS IN THE DARK I CUTTING ADVERTISING TO INFORM CONSUMERS ABOUT THE OBAMACARE ENROLLMENT PERIOD. THESE ACTIONS HAVE TAKEN TO DESTABILIZE THE MARKET. HEALTH INSURERS HAVE NO CHOICE IN THE WEEKS AHEAD OF TO SHARPLY INCREASE PREMIUMS. THIS WILL HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON CONSUMERS IN THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET PLACE, A SPECIALLY MIDDLE INCOME AMERICANS AND THOSE YOU ARE SELF-EMPLOYED IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE GIG ECONOMY.MILLIONS WILL EXPERIENCE STICKER SHOCK. MANY WILL HAVE NO CHOICE, PUTTING FAMILIES BACK WERE THEY WERE BEFORE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WITHOUT COVERAGE, UNABLE TO AFFORD DOCTOR VISITS, ONE MEDICAL EMERGENCY AWAY FROM FINANCIAL RUIN. THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE IN RECENT YEARS IS TOO IMPORTANT. WE CAN’T GO BACKWARD. I RECENTLY HEARD FROM A NEW HAMPSHIRE DOCTOR WHO SAID, BEFORE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, I WAS SEEING MORE PATIENTS WORKING FULL TIME, BUT NOT HAVING ADEQUATE CARE. PARENTS WOULD LOOK DOWN IN SHAME WHEN I ASKED WHY THEIR CHILD HAD NOT BEEN TO SEE ME IN 2, 3, OR MORE YEARS. THEY WERE ASHAMED BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T AFFORD INSURANCE. SINCE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, I HAVE RARELY SEEN THIS TYPE OF INTERACTION. THIS DR. AND HER PATIENTS DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE BAD OLD DAYS, AND NEITHER DO I. SOME REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON SEEM TO THINK SABOTAGING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS GOOD POLITICS. FOUR PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND ACROSS AMERICA, KEEPING THEIR ACCESS TO COVERAGE IS A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH, ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TAKE A SICK FAMILY MEMBER TO THE DOCTOR, AND KNOWING A SERIOUS ILLNESS WON’T LEAVE A MOUNTAIN OF DEBT. THE SHARP RISE IN HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS IS A CRISIS THAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN WASHINGTON, AND WASHINGTON CAN FIX IT.THE SOLEMN MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. WHILE MOST AMERICANS SUPPORT THELAW, WE ALL REALIZE IT CAN BE IMPROVED. WITH PREMIUMS ABOUT TO RISE SHARPLY, THE STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER FORTHE HEALTH AND FINANCIAL SECURITY OF OUR FAMILIES. INSTEAD OF REPUBLICANS TO DATE HEALTH CARE AWAY FROM PEOPLE AND MAKING IT MORE EXPENSIVE, LET’S DO THE RIGHT THING. IT IS TIME FOR BIPARTISAN ACTION. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS,WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR EVERY

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