Statement by Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center,
on the Motion to Proceed on Senate Affordable Care Act Repeal 

New York, NY—The Senate will vote on a “motion to proceed” today, bringing one or more Affordable Care Act repeal bills up for a vote. This anticipated vote is shrouded in secrecy and confusion. The American people, and even Senators themselves, do not know exactly what health care reform package the Senate will be voting on.

We do know that every repeal bill the Senate has revealed would lead to tens of millions of people losing coverage, bringing the most harm to near retirees, older adults, and people with disabilities. One or more of these bills will come to the floor, threatening to yank health coverage out from under 22 million Americans, end Medicaid as we know it, and undermine the Medicare guarantee.

While the combination of specific policies differs, what these bills have in common is that they are all entirely unacceptable. We need an open, transparent, bipartisan process where all voices can be heard, where experts are consulted, and where the needs of American families are paramount.

We call upon Senators to refuse to allow these bills to come to the floor. The only vote in the best interest of older Americans, people with disabilities, and their families is a “no” on the motion to proceed.

Read our letter to Senate leadership.

For more information on the Medicare program and proposals under consideration to change it, visit the Medicare Rights Center’s “Protect and Strengthen” webpage at www.medicarerights.org/protect.

Press Contact: Mitchell Clark – mclark@medicarerights.org

–end–