It was a bad week for health care for Coloradans.
Senator Cory Gardner voted to approve a budget blueprint that allows the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) to be repealed without the threat of Democratic procedural interventions. According to www.govtrack.us, Representative Scott Tipton voted to support a similar measure.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicates that the uninsured rate in Colorado has fallen by 49 percent since the ACA was enacted in 2010, translating into 419,000 Coloradans gaining coverage. In addition, millions of Coloradans have benefited from other aspects of the act that provide for young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance, free preventative care, and coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
For the past six years, Republicans have been working to repeal the ACA. During this period they have not produced a credible plan to improve or replace it. Sen. Gardner and Rep. Tipton are joining the highly partisan call to repeal the ACA but have not provided a viable option for covering the more than 20 million Americans who depend on it. This call to repeal without simultaneously presenting a replacement plan is irresponsible and does not bode well for health care for Coloradans.
While Senator Michael Bennet should be commended for opposing the bill that would begin the process to repeal the act, he should be questioned for opposing a different bill that would allow lower-priced prescription drugs to be imported from Canada.
Co-sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, this bill had support from 12 Republicans, 32 Democrats and 2 Independents. Also, according to www.govtrack.us, Sen. Bennet joined Sen. Gardner in opposing this bill. The Center for Responsive politics reports that both Sen. Bennet and Sen. Gardner have received support from the pharmaceutical industry.
If health care is important to you, make certain our members of Congress know your views and that you are watching how they vote. Make certain they know you are aware of what corporate support they receive and insist they represent us, not corporations.
Hold them accountable!
Barbara Noseworthy
Durango
