Once again — a NEW version of how to kill the Affordable Care Act. FIGHT IT!

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Dear Friends,

Tonight, Sunday September 24, we learned there is yet another version of the Graham Cassidy bill to kill everything that matters in the Affordable Care Act.  If you’re sick of these constant calls to action, well, so are we. 

This new version is completely unknown so cannot be ‘scored’ by the Congressional Budget Office before the projected vote Wednesday.  We do know it kills Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) and cuts subsidies for lower income families, unfetters premium costs for anyone with pre-existing conditions, and on and on and on and on.  It returns us to what existed before ACA was even a dream, and you may well remember what a disaster that was for Americans. 

The bill will merge several programs including Medicaid into block grants.  This automatically means less funding for many states, larger ones in particular will be seriously hampered.  However, it will expand funding for Alaska and Maine. Why? Their senators, Linda Murkowski and Susan Collins, voted “NO” on the last bill.  Rather than our assuming they can be bought off, it appears that voter voices are keeping both senators deeply skeptical that even this brazen sop to them is a good thing for their constituents. Urge anyone you know in Maine or Alaska to keep up the pressure on each Senator. 

Please remember that even in states with solid Senators already in opposition, voices matter.  Those Senators have to be able to show that their citizens are speaking out in record numbers.  Yes – this is a reduction to a game of sheer numbers.  And your voice counts in that game. 

Please call 202-224-3121 and ask for your Senators.  Then, to be safe, do a third call for your Representative.  It’s critical that we not let up now.

If you like to text, go to 50409 on your phone, type in “Resist” and either set up an account or text your Senators and Representatives.

Let your voice be heard!  Our message is simple:

Graham Cassidy does incalculable harm to sick people. It will cause premiums in every category of health care, including employer provided insurance, to soar.  It will allow states to give license to charge people outrageously more for certain procedures and to increase premiums on anyone with a ‘pre-existing condition’ which almost all of us have. The only acceptable policy is to improve the Affordable Care Act and keep it operating by keeping it solvent. We will not tolerate false economies for our nation that come out of the pockets of those who need care. Fix ACA. Don’t kill it!

The vote is now scheduled for Wednesday.  Time is of the essence. Please raise your voice for justice in health care now!

Thank you!


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