Advocates Warn Congress of Dangerous Consequences of ACA Repeal and Delay
for Seniors and People with Disabilities

On January 13, 2017, the Medicare Rights Center, Justice in Aging, Center for Medicare Advocacy and more than 60 other national organizations wrote Congressional leadership expressing grave concern about repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In particular, the organizations urge that any legislation to repeal the ACA be rejected unless it is accompanied by a detailed replacement plan that provides American families with equal or improved access to high-quality, affordable health coverage.

“Repealing the ACA without an immediate replacement could cause 30 million Americans who rely on expanded Medicaid and the individual market to lose health coverage. Over 4.5 million people ages 55 to 64 could lose coverage and the share of uninsured people in this age group could double—from 8% to 19%,” the letter cautioned.

Medicare Rights Center’s President Joe Baker warned of the negative consequences of ACA repeal on people with Medicare. “The rush to repeal and delay the Affordable Care Act will take our nation backwards. Before the health law, seniors went without needed medications when they fell into the donut hole and people with disabilities had no affordable coverage during their two-year wait for Medicare. People with Medicare and their families cannot afford to take these costly steps back.”

Center for Medicare Advocacy Executive Director Judith Stein stressed that ACA repeal would also harm Medicare and Medicaid. “The Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid are all intertwined. Repealing ACA will reduce access to health care in myriad ways, with repercussions for most families throughout the country. It’s a dangerous prescription.”

Justice in Aging’s Executive Director Kevin Prindiville underscored the impact of ACA repeal on the most vulnerable older adults living in poverty. “By weakening Medicare and Medicaid, repealing the ACA would have tremendous, negative consequence for the health of all of the older adults in our communities—but especially the millions who are living in or near poverty. Instead of repealing the ACA, Congress should be working to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid and make health and long term care more affordable and accessible for all seniors.”

Read the full letter.

Contact: Mitchell Clark – mclark@medicarerights.org – 212-204-6286

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The Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs and public policy initiatives.

The Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc., established in 1986, is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan law organization that provides education, advocacy and legal assistance to help older people and people with disabilities obtain fair access to Medicare and quality health care. The Center is headquartered in Connecticut and Washington, DC with offices throughout the country.

Justice in Aging is a national non-profit legal advocacy organization that fights senior poverty through law. Formerly the National Senior Citizens Law Center, since 1972 we’ve worked for access to affordable health care and economic security for older adults with limited resources, focusing especially on populations that have traditionally lacked legal protection such as women, people of color, LGBT individuals, and people with limited English proficiency.

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