PROTECT OUR CARE. WEEKLY WRAP UP [ September 23-29, 2017 ] Credit: Politico

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PROTECT OUR CARE ** WEEKLY WRAP UP ** [ September 23-29, 2017 ] Credit: Politico Not So Fast: 2018 Budget Resolution Keeps Door Open To Partisan Repeal Despite The Failure Of Yet Another Health Care

1 PROTECT OUR CARE ** WEEKLY WRAP UP ** [ September 23-29, 2017 ] Credit: Politico Not So Fast: 2018 Budget Resolution Keeps Door Open To Partisan Repeal Despite The Failure Of Yet Another Health Care Repeal Bill Facing opposition from every health care organization, bipartisan opposition in the Senate and overwhelming opposition from the American people, Senate Republicans abandoned their latest health care repeal scheme this week, known as Graham-Cassidy-Heller. This is at least the fifth attempt in 2017 at health care repeal by Republicans in Congress without any bipartisan or public support. Every version of health care repeal would have raised premiums, resulted in millions of people without coverage, allowed insurance companies to gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions, re-implement lifetime limits and charge an age tax, and ended Medicaid as we know it. However, those declaring the repeal of the ACA dead for 2018 because of the language of the proposed 2018 Senate budget resolution released today are unfortunately wrong. The Republicans have written a budget resolution that allows them to return to their partisan repeal agenda. Shockingly, they haven t learned their lesson -that the public overwhelmingly opposes health care repeal, and in fact now trusts a late night TV host more than them on the issue. It s time for the GOP to admit defeat, publicly abandon repeal and stop their health care sabotage campaign. Republicans Are Taking Deliberate Actions To Sabotage Our Health Care The most used Republican talking point is that Obamacare is failing, imploding, or exploding. President Trump said earlier this year, the best thing we can do...is let Obamacare explode and let it be a disaster because we can blame that on the Democrats.

2 These statements are false for two reasons. First, independent analyses show that the Affordable Care Act is working. Standard s & Poor said it expected insurers performance in the marketplaces to be better in 2016 than in 2015, and 2017 would be better than The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said it anticipated the market to be stable under the ACA. The average premium after tax credits increased by $1 dollar, from $100 in 2016 to $101 in Currently, 10.2 million people are signed up for coverage in the marketplaces. Second, the President s statements do not accurately reflect reality. Republicans are not letting the ACA fail, as though they were just mere onlookers watching it happen. No. They are taking deliberate actions to sabotage the health care system. For example, on day one, the Trump Administration issued an executive order demanding federal agencies begin dismantling the Affordable Care Act without protecting parts that are working and without regard to the damage it would cause. Whatever President Trump s motivation - personal hostility toward President Obama or simply spitefulness - the result is clear: his administration is making it harder for people to sign up for coverage and taking steps that are raising people s premiums and destabilizing the marketplace. Read more here about how the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress are deliberately sabotaging our health care. Snapshot: Trump Administration s Cuts To Navigator Funding The Trump administration recently announced that it would cut funding by 40% from $63 million to $37 million for organizations that provide in-person assistance to Americans looking to sign up for coverage, known as the navigator program. The community-based organizations that sign on to be navigators focus on underserved areas or more vulnerable populations. Some of these organizations may have no choice but to cease outreach around Open Enrollment altogether and others will be forced to lay off staff and scale back their efforts to help people enroll. The result will be that fewer people will have access to the type of assistance they need to get health insurance. Some states fared a lot worse than others. In fact, 15 states had their overall navigator funding reduced by at least 56 percent.

Another way to analyze how states were impacted, is to look at how the states who were the biggest drivers of enrollment were impacted by these cuts.

The states that fared the worst Georgia had their budget cut by 61%; Michigan had its budget cut by 72%; and New Jersey had its budget cut by 62%.

3 Another way to analyze how states were impacted, is to look at how the states who were the biggest drivers of enrollment were impacted by these cuts. Last year, the below 10 states were responsible for 66% of 2017 sign-ups, yet these states had their overall budgets cut by 39%. The states that fared the worst Georgia had their budget cut by 61%; Michigan had its budget cut by 72%; and New Jersey had its budget cut by 62%. Read more about cuts to Navigators here. Newest Polling: Could Health Care Repeal Be Any Worse? The newest round of polling data is out from multiple sources but it all confirms the same thing - voters reject partisan health care repeal and disapprove of the leadership of those who keep up the relentless push.

4 New Quinnipiac University polling data shows only 19% support the Graham-Cassidy-Heller health care repeal, while 59% disapprove. Support for repeal falls to only 14% among independents and is only 24% with white non-college educated voters. Only 11% approve of how Republicans in Congress are handling health care with an overwhelming 81% disapproving, including 86% disapproval with independents. Only 10% believe their health insurance costs would go down under the plan, while most voters think it will go up (44%) or stay the same (30%) ⅔ (67%) of voters - as well as 63% of Republicans - approve of preventing health insurance companies from raising insurance rates for people with pre-existing conditions, a provision this repeal would take a way. New national polling from FOX News shows a record-level of support for the Affordable Care Act with 51% saying they are glad it passed and 42% saying they wish it never had. The poll showed voters prefer to make "minor changes to Obamacare while largely leaving the law in place" by a 33 point margin (63% to 30%). Only 25% supported the Senate's health care plan - known as Graham Cassidy - in this poll while 51% oppose it. New data from Public Policy Polling confirms the trend with voters preferring the Affordable Care Act over Graham- Cassidy-Heller by 19 points (53% to 34%). Only 27% support for the latest GOP health care repeal bill with 53% opposed. Only 32% think the best path forward is repeal, while 62% prefer we keep what works and fix what doesn t. Coverage Highlights Poll: Voters trust Kimmel more than GOP on health care The Hill // Josh Delk // September 28 81% of Voters Don't Like How Republicans Are Handling Health Care Time // Abigail Adams // September 28 Fox News Poll: Low marks for Trump on health care, taxes -- higher on economy Fox News // Dana Blanton // September 28 5 ways Trump and Republicans may have actually lucked out by not repealing Obamacare NJ.com // Jonathan D. Salant // September 28 The new Republican healthcare bill is already getting a slew of brutal reviews Business Insider // Bob Bryan // September 25 Save My Care Launches New Ad In Washington, D.C. This week, Save My Care ran ads in Washington, D.C. calling on senators to oppose the Graham-Cassidy health care repeal bill. The ad pointed to the dozens of organizations that oppose the bill, including the American Medical Association, AARP, the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes and state Medicaid directors, among others. Watch each ad for yourself here.

5 Local Headlines Check out what coverage health care received in local areas nationwide. Below are some highlights: Alaska Murkowski says latest healthcare repeal effort failed from 'lousy' vote process KTUU // Leroy Polk // September 26 Gov. Walker cites uncertainty over funding in opposing ACA repeal Alaska Public Media // Andrew Kitchenman // September 22 Arizona Obamacare Repeal Will Cost AZ Economy Arizona Public Media // Christopher Conover // September 26 Arizona may face serious job losses under 'Obamacare' replacement bill AZ Central // Ken Alltucker // September 25 Sen. John McCain will vote against Graham-Cassidy health-care bill AZ Central // Dan Nowicki // September 22 Arkansas Governor laments defeat of Obamacare repeal. 300,000-plus Arkansans don't join him Arkansas Times // Max Brantley // September 27 Former Gov. Beebe blasts Graham-Cassidy bill, calls it a terrible bill for Arkansans KATV // September 26 Colorado Hickenlooper, relieved Graham-Cassidy is dead, calls for bipartisan ACA fixes Real Vail // David O. Williams // September 28 Sen. Gardner got busted representing his party and donors, not Coloradans Aurora Sentinel // Dave Perry // September 25 Why Cory Gardner probably will vote for every Republican effort to replace Obamacare Denverite // Erica Meltzer // September 25 Michael Bennet calls Graham-Cassidy disgraceful in first and maybe only hearing on teetering Obamacare repeal effort Denver Post // Mark K. Matthews // September 25 Iowa

6 Grassley, Ernst should lead on bipartisan health care reforms The Gazette // Editorial Board // September 28 Ames Woman Could Lose Care for Second Times Under Privatized Medicaid WHOTV // Jodi Whitworth // September 26 Iowa Senator Joni Ernst Holds Loud Town Hall on ACA Repeal WNAX // September 25 Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy made some unhealthy choices Times-Picayune // Tim Morris // September 28 Cassidy's health care repeal would hurt Louisiana's families The Advocate // Alena Boucree and Deacon Allen Stevens // September 25 Republicans can t even bribe senators to vote for Cassidy-Graham Times-Picayune // Tim Morris // September 25 Maine Collins no to Graham-Cassidy highlights dangers of rushed, harmful repeal bill Bangor Daily News // September 27 // Hayley Tittle Collins opposes Obamacare repeal bill despite last-minute changes aimed at Maine Bangor Daily News // Michael Shepherd // September 25 Nevada Heller offers brief defense of moribund Obamacare repeal bill during Senate hearing Nevada Independent // Megan Messerly // September 26 Heller-backed Obamacare repeal likely dead; CBO says 'millions' would lose health coverage Reno Gazette-Journal // Eliza Collins // September 25 Heller under fire with another health care vote Las Vegas Review-Journal // Colton Lochhhead // September 24 Repealing the ACA is very personal for me Fargo Forum // Mike Rose // September 22 North Carolina North Carolina dodges a health care calamity Charlotte Observer // Editorial Board // September 26 Fortunate failure for the GOP repeal Raleigh News & Observer // Editorial Board // September 26 Support for Obamacare repeal collapses as opponents picket Burr Triad City Beat // Jordan Green // September 26 Burr and Tills stop fighting Obama, fix Obamacare WRAL // Editorial // September 26 It could be harder for some near Charlotte to pick a health plan after Trump cuts Charlotte Observer // Cassie Cope // September 25 North Dakota Advocates: GOP health plan would hurt North Dakota s most vulnerable Bismarck Tribune // Patrick Springer // September 26 Ohio Parents of Dayton Children s patient speak out against health bill Dayton Daily News // Kaitlin Schroeder // September 25 Sherrod Brown, John McCain, John Kasich all call for bipartisan health-care solution Columbus Dispatch // Darrel Rowland // September 23 Pennsylvania Affordable Care Act survives; GOP concedes on last-gasp repeal try Bucks County Courier Times // September 27 Activists hold demonstration to defend healthcare Times-Leader // Kulsoom Khan // September 26 Protesters take health-care message to Meehan s office again Daily Times // Susan Serbin // June 26

7 Residents gather outside Sen. Toomey s office over healthcare We Are Central PA // Jackson Elwell // September 25 Tennessee Democrats Call For Special Session To Expand Medicaid News Channel 5 Network // Sarah McCarthy // September 28 Sen. Lamar Alexander to resume bipartisan talks on health insurance The Tennessean // Michael Collins and Holly Fletcher // September 26 West Virginia Manchin speaks against health care bill Weirton Daily Times // Joselyn King // September 27 Group travels to D.C. to urge Sen. Capito to say no to ACA repeal Metro News // Brittany Murray // September 26 Fight is not over on health care Metro News // Carrie Hodousek // September 25 Latest health plan would harm our region Herald-Dispatch // Editorial Board // September 25 "Kill the Bill, Don't Kill Us" rally takes place in Parkersburg WTAP // Sheena Steffen // September 25 In Case You Missed It This week, a number of organizations continued to release analyses of Graham-Cassidy and all came to the same striking conclusion: the bill will have devastating effects on health care for hundreds millions of people. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities updated its Sabotage Watch in response to actions by the Trump Administration this week. The Center for American Progress released a report this week on the impact of Graham-Cassidy: At Least 1.4 Million Nonelderly Adults with Disabilities Would Lose Medicaid Under Graham- Cassidy [September 20] The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released reports and commentary on the Graham-Cassidy health care repeal bill: Sabotage Watch: Tracking Efforts to Undermine the ACA [September 29] Roundup: Senate Cancels Vote on Harmful Cassidy-Graham Affordable Care Act Repeal Bill [September 26] Avalere released an updated report with the amount of money each state would lose under Graham- Cassidy had it passed. [September 26]

PROTECT OUR CARE. WEEKLY WRAP UP [ June 11 - June 16, 2017 ]

PROTECT OUR CARE. ** WEEKLY WRAP UP ** [ June 11 - June 16, 2017 ] PROTECT OUR CARE ** WEEKLY WRAP UP ** [ June 11 - June 16, 2017 ] Senators Continue to Keep Their Repeal Bill So Secret that Even Their Members are in the Dark Senate Republicans admitted they were deliberately