On the recordJanuary 12, 2017
In his farewell speech, President Obama said that if anyone can put together an alternative healthcare plan that is demonstrably better and covers as many people at less cost, he would publicly support it. I feel the same way. The ACA is not perfect, and anyone who is serious about working to improve our healthcare system should count me as a willing partner. But that is not what we have heard from President-elect Trump and my Republican colleagues. Their irresponsible plan is to repeal ObamaCare and then figure out what comes next. That is like jumping ship without a life raft or a plan. Repealing ObamaCare will leave 1.2 million people in my State without health insurance, allowing insurers to again deny coverage based on preexisting conditions or put annual and lifetime caps on coverage, and deny young people the option of staying on their parents' plan. This will hurt real people who depend on the Affordable Care Act. I urge my colleagues to join me in finding ways to improve our Nation's healthcare system rather than burning it down. ____________________
