On Tues., Jan. 18, Congressmember Jerrold Nadler spoke on the House floor in fierce opposition to H.R. 2, the Patients Rights Repeal Act, the product of Republican efforts to repeal the landmark Affordable Care Act.
“Repeal of the Affordable Care Act would be catastrophic for the American people and for our economy,” Nadler said in a press release. “Instead of spending our time looking for ways to build on and perfect the healthcare reform law, Republicans want to take a sledgehammer to it, to throw out everything, without any consideration at all. No matter that our economy still needs our attention. No matter that millions of Americans remain out of work.”
In his remarks on the floor, Nadler noted that repealing the act would deny 32 million Americans healthcare, and drive up the national debt by an additional $1.4 trillion over the next 20 years. The Affordable Care Act also laid the groundwork to stave off the 55 percent of personal bankruptcies that are caused by healthcare emergencies, Nadler added.
“By banning…the ‘pre-existing conditions’ insurance bar, banning annual and lifetime coverage caps, and capping annual out-of-pocket expenses, this law ensures that nobody will go broke because they get sick,” Nadler said.
“No longer will women go without critical maternity care coverage, access to mammograms, and other key preventive care services — services that will be available without co-pays and deductibles,” Nadler continued.
He added that, for seniors, the act strengthens Medicare.
“Mr. Speaker, when our predecessors passed similarly historic laws such as Social Security in 1935 and Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, they knew the measures would require further consideration,” Nadler stated. “In the years since those crucially important programs were signed into law, Congress has made, and will continue to make, improvements to those programs.”
Nadler represents the 8th Congressional District, which includes the West Side, Greenwich Village, Soho, Lower Manhattan and part of Brooklyn.
