Rep. Raul Ruiz expresses concerns on proposed GOP health care plan
Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) continues to express his concerns on the house floor over the proposed GOP health care plan that was pulled after House Republicans failed to get enough votes for it.
Rep. Ruiz said, before the GOP plan was pulled, “This bill’s age tax will devastate American’s ages 50 – 64, who have worked their whole lives, planned their retirement and now wondering how they will make ends meet. The age tax will force older Americans to pay premiums up to five times higher that others, no matter how healthy they are, no matter how responsibly they’ve lived… making coverage too expensive and forcing them to be uninsured.”
Rep. Ruiz then talked about some worries a local resident had about the plan, “Rex from my district, wrote me that he was worried about choosing between affordable insurance or saving for his retirement. Insurance for older Americans like Rex will be too expensive, leaving them uninsured when they need coverage the most.”
“Under this bill is 64 year old like Rex with an income of $26,500 dollars will pay up to $14,000 for health insurance. That’s more than half of their income on premiums alone, leaving little for food, rent, medicine and other basic necessities. I stand with our older Americans and I urge everyone — Democrats and Republicans — to stand with older Americans. Put ideology, partisanship, politics aside and do the right thing.”
Rep. Ruiz released the following statement after the GOP was pulled.
“Today’s end of the Republican health care bill vote means that 270,800 people in our local community will not lose access to preventative services like cancer screening and flu shots, and nearly 90,400 people will not lose coverage due to the elimination of the Medicaid expansion. It also means older Americans won’t face higher, unaffordable costs for coverage and that maternity, mental health, and other essential benefits will remain covered for hard-working families.”
“However, our work is far from over. As a physician, I remain committed to working with Democrats and Republicans alike to bring down premiums and out-of-pocket costs, address the physician shortage crisis and reduce the cost of prescription drugs for millions of Americans. We can achieve these goals without kicking millions of people off their health insurance. We must put people above partisanship and solutions above ideology.”
President Trump and Republicans are vowing to move on tot he next agenda item, which is tax reform an issue that Ryan admits got tougher to tackle with today’s failure on healthcare.
