Paul Tonko: “Absolutely. We didn't hear too much about what would be lost in their cuts or repeal of the Affordable Care Act.…”

“Absolutely. We didn't hear too much about what would be lost in their cuts or repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Representative Garamendi, you are absolutely right, there is much that has been gained by the American population, health consumers across this Nation, with the efforts of the Affordable Care Act, to close the doughnut hole, to make prescription drugs more affordable for our pharmaceutical consumers out there, for seniors who require this medication, their prescription drugs to stay well or to stay alive. Far too many were balancing their household budget by reducing their intake of prescriptions advised by their medical community. That is immoral. It's unnecessary and has been addressed by the Affordable Care Act. So 5.3 million seniors today are drawing $3.7 billion in benefits. That is something that could be taken away if the Republican majority in the House of Representatives had its way. Now, this is a wellness aspect. This is part of a formula that allows people to be cured, to be healed, to be allowed to live with a quality of life that then addresses their very needs. And so I think it's necessary to point out what would be taken away from the benefits already offered, and there are more to come. But as we know, they're staged. They are rolled into the operations of reform over the next several years.…”