• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Donate Now
  • Sign Up

Center for Medicare Advocacy

Advancing Access to Medicare and Healthcare

  • Eligibility/Enrollment
  • Coverage/Appeals
    • Medicare Costs (2021)
    • Self Help Materials – Toolkits & More
  • Topics
    • Basic Introduction to Medicare
    • COVID-19 and Medicare
    • Medicare Costs (2021)
    • Home Health Care
    • Improvement Standard and Jimmo News
    • Nursing Home / Skilled Nursing Facility Care
    • Outpatient Observation Status
    • Part B
    • Part D / Prescription Drug Benefits
    • Medicare for People Under 65
    • Medicare “Reform”
    • All Other Topics
    • Resources
      • Infographics
  • Publications
    • CMA Alerts
    • Fact Sheets & Issue Briefs
    • Infographics
    • The Medicare Handbook
    • SNF Enforcement Newsletter
    • Elder Justice Newsletter
    • Medicare Facts & Fiction
    • Articles by Topic
  • Litigation
    • Litigation News
    • Cases
    • Litigation Archive
    • Amicus Curiae Activities
  • Newsroom
    • Press Releases
    • Editorials & Letters to the Editor
    • CMA Comments, Responses, and Letters
    • Medicare Facts & Fiction
    • CMA in the News
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • CMA FAQs
    • Annual Report
    • Personnel & Boards
    • The Center for Medicare Advocacy Founder’s Circle
    • Connecticut Dually Eligible Appeals Project
    • Ossen Medicare Outreach, Education and Advocacy Project
    • National Medicare Advocates Alliance
    • National Voices of Medicare Summit
    • CMA Webinars
    • Products & Services
    • Testimonials
    • Career, Fellowship & Internship Opportunities
    • Contact Us
  • Support Our Work
    • Donate Now
    • Join the Center for Medicare Advocacy Founder’s Circle
    • Take Action
    • Share Your Health Care Story
    • Tell Congress to Protect Our Care
    • Listen to Medicare & Health Care Stories
    • Sign Up

Senate Votes to Continue Attack on Health Care

July 25, 2017

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

For Immediate Release
July 25, 2017

Contact: Matthew Shepard, 860-456-7790
MShepard@MedicareAdvocacy.org

Washington, DC – Today the Senate narrowly passed a key procedural vote to open debate on one or more health care reform bills that will be voted on in the coming days.

While it is still unclear what mystery bill(s) the Senate will actually vote on, all of the options under consideration would have devastating consequences for millions of people with health insurance coverage.  These proposals would roll back important consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), gut Medicaid and leave millions uninsured.

Even emerging rumors of a so-called “skinny repeal bill” that would make smaller, yet critical changes to the ACA, would cause great harm.  For example, just eliminating the individual coverage mandate would lead to an estimated 15 million people losing their insurance coverage and a 20% increase in premiums.  This kind of damage cannot be fixed in conference committee, where the House and Senate reconcile their respective versions of health “reform.” 

Only two Republican Senators – Collins and Murkowski – stood by their convictions that the health reform proposals under discussion would hurt, rather than help, their constituents.  It took a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Pence to advance the debate.

“This vote, and the secretive process that led to it,” says Judith Stein, Executive Director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, “was shameful, but the fight to protect our health care is not over. All of those who value Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA must continue to make their voices heard.”

###

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 Washington, DC and Connecticut, with attorneys throughout the country.

Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: The Fight

Primary Sidebar

Easy Access to Understanding Medicare

The Center for Medicare Advocacy produces a range of informative materials on Medicare-related topics. Check them out:

  • Medicare Basics
  • CMA Alerts
  • CMA Webinars
  • Connecticut Info & Projects
  • Health Care Stories
  • Se habla Español

Sign Up for CMA Alerts

Jimmo v. Sebelius

Medicare covers skilled care to maintain or slow decline as well as to improve.

Improvement Isn’t Required. It’s the law!

Read more.

Medicare: Build Back Better

By prioritizing Medicare beneficiaries and the health systems that serve them, we can avoid drastic national consequences. The Center for Medicare Advocacy proposes a five-part plan that will make Medicare a bulwark against the worsening health and economic challenges facing the American people.

Learn more.

Latest Tweets

  • A powerful message about #LongTermCare from @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver explains the insufficient oversigh… https://t.co/iKp8Mi8WSU, 16 hours ago
@CMAorg

Footer

Stay Connected:

  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Products & Services
  • Copyright/Privacy

© 2021 · Center for Medicare Advocacy