Statement on the American Health Care Act,
by Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center 

New York, NY—There was no vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) today—a victory for older Americans, people with disabilities, and their families. This bill was written in the dark of night and needlessly rushed through the policymaking process. The American people deserve better, and we hope today’s failure will give rise to a deliberate and transparent conversation about what’s already working and what’s yet to be improved in health care.

We thank every member of the U.S. House of Representatives who announced they would vote against the AHCA. These members chose to vote “no” on yanking coverage out from under 24 million Americans, on imposing an unaffordable “age tax” on older Americans, on ending Medicaid as we know it, and on undermining the Medicare guarantee.

Members of Congress and President Trump should now embrace a fresh start and seek bipartisan consensus on proposals that protect and strengthen affordable access to health care for American families. We welcome the opportunity to work with Congress and the President on policies that promote these goals, and we will continue to fight against anything less.

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

Contact: Mitchell Clark – mclark@medicarerights.org

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