Mary Mancini, chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party, released the following statement heavily criticizing the Graham-Cassidy Bill:
“The uninsured rate in Tennessee dropped from 15% to 9% because of the Affordable Care Act. It would be even lower if Tennessee Republicans had not blocked Medicaid Expansion in the state. The Graham-Cassidy bill will undo all of that progress. It will throw millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans off of their health care. It will allow insurers to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. It cuts vital Medicaid funding for seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children. The Graham-Cassidy bill will cost our state an estimated $61 billion, that is on top of the more than $3 billion of our tax dollars they have already let go to other states.
“Senator Corker and Senator Alexander have misled Tennesseans over and over again during this secretive process. Senator Alexander said they would not cut Medicaid, Graham-Cassidy has massive cuts to Medicaid. Senator Corker said there was no attempt to roll back protections for pre-existing conditions, Graham-Cassidy is the worst repeal bill yet for people with pre-existing conditions. Senator Corker said they were ‘building up subsidies,’ Graham-Cassidy cuts subsidies.
“Now Gov. Halsam says this bill is a ‘home run’ for Tennessee. The Tennessee hospital association calls this bill ‘woefully short’ of the needed improvements to the ACA. The American Medical Association says Graham-Cassidy violates the ‘first do no harm’ principle. It is disheartening that Republicans are so intent on hurting people instead of working with Democrats to make sure everyone has access to health care.”
For more information about the Tennessee Democratic Party, visit tndp.org.
