As House Republicans moved to shore up final support for their Affordable Care Act replacement plan Thursday, members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation released a report highlighting how the controversial health care law has benefitted state residents.
As House Republicans moved to shore up final support for their Affordable Care Act replacement plan Thursday, members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation released a report highlighting how the controversial health care law has benefitted state residents.
The 180-page "Shared Values: Massachusetts Perspectives on Health Reform" report, which lawmakers released ahead of an expected vote on the GOP-backed "American Health Care Act," touts the ACA's impact on the Bay State's insurance coverage rate, women's health care and children's access to care and preventative services.
The document, offered by 10 of the state's 11 congressional lawmakers, includes perspectives from Massachusetts hospitals, health care providers, constituents and others in support of the law, known as Obamacare.
It further contends that the law has helped support substance abuse services in the state, guaranteed care for those with disabilities and chronic conditions, and improved mental health service integration.
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, who has vocally opposed GOP efforts to repeal the health care law, argued that while the ACA has "provided quality, affordable health care to millions of folks in Massachusetts over the past seven years," the Republicans' plan would rip coverage away, increase costs and severely harm local hospitals and health centers.
"Families and entire communities throughout Massachusetts have benefitted tremendously thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and our delegation will work tirelessly to protect middle-class families from these harmful Republican efforts," he said in a statement.
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Congressman Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, agreed, contending that the Republican bill, which proposes canceling the fines on individuals who don't carry health insurance, overhauling the federal-state Medicaid program and replacing income-based subsidies with age-based tax credits,"would be devastating for families across Massachusetts who would lose health care and face higher costs."
"Health care should be a right in this country and we're going to fight like hell to protect and strengthen access to affordable health care for all Americans," he said.
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, meanwhile, argued that the report shows Massachusetts "is proof that you don't have to choose between a strong economy and universal health care."
"Repealing the Affordable Care Act would be a bad prescription for Massachusetts, and we will fight this heartless Republican effort to strip away the right to health care," he said.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, whose office took the lead in releasing the report, argued that state residents have made clear that "high-quality, affordable health coverage matters."
Felicity Lingle, a 40-year-old former Springfield-area substitute teacher who was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, for example, said she "cannot imagine where she would be without her health insurance coverage from both MassHealth and Medicare," according to the report.
Prior to enrolling in so-called "RomneyCare" -- the Massachusetts law which served as somewhat of a model for the ACA -- Lingle did not have health insurance, it noted.
Jenny Giering, a Worthington resident who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, meanwhile, said ACA coverage has allowed her to survive her treatment and later complications.
"The passage of the ACA did more to shore up our little family than any other piece of legislation in my lifetime," she said in the report. "It has enabled me to face my grave illness without worrying whether cost would be a factor in my treatment or whether I could try the next medication my doctors prescribed to relieve my pain."
U.S. Reps. Michael Capuano, D-Somerville; Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell; Bill Keating, D-Bourne; Joe Kennedy III, D-Brookline; Katherine Clark, D-Melrose; and Seth Moulton, D-Salem, also signed their names on to the report.
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Congressman Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston, who voted against the ACA seven years ago and has since called for fixing the law, was not listed on the document.
Facing pushback from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, House leaders reportedly postponed Thursday's expected vote on the AHCA, as they sought to win more support from conservative members.
A poll released Thursday suggested that American voters oppose the House GOP plan by a three-to-one margin.
Poll: Voters overwhelmingly oppose House Republicans' Obamacare replacement plan