Today, after the U.S. House of Representatives pulled the American Health Care Act, Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) issued the following statement:
“The failure of HR 1628 is encouraging for Californians and working class people across the nation who rely on the ACA for affordable healthcare. Conservative estimates indicate that the passage of the bill will cost not only millions of people access to health care here in California but also $20 billion in funding to the state and 209,000 jobs over the next few years.”
Assemblymember Grayson continued: “While today’s news is positive for millions of Californians, we need to continue to make the case for the ACA and thwart any future repeal attempts. If Republicans in Washington want to get serious about addressing increasing premiums I am confident Democrats will be there to work with them, but a bill like HR 1628 was a blatant attempt to strip healthcare from millions across our nation.”
The Affordable Care Act has brought the uninsured rate in California to a historic low of 7.1 percent, and added several million covered individuals through Covered California and the accompanying Medi-Cal expansion. Repeal of the ACA and replacement with the Congress-proposed American Health Care Act would drive up premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for Californians, pricing those most vulnerable out of the market and causing millions to lose their insurance. Older and lower-income individuals would be especially hurt, while the wealthy would actually be getting tax breaks on insurance purchases.
“Today’s outcome makes me optimistic about the protection of healthcare access,” said Assemblymember Grayson, “but we must continue to monitor further developments to ensure that quality and affordable healthcare remains within reach to people of all walks of life, both in in California and across the nation.”
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Tim Grayson represents the 14th Assembly District that includes the communities of Benicia, Concord, Clayton, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Vallejo, Pittsburg and Walnut Creek. For more information please visit the Assemblymember’s website, www.assembly.ca.gov/a14.