After Senator McConnell announced that the Senate health care repeal bill did not have enough votes to move forward, he proposed Congress repeal the Affordable Care Act without “replacing” it.
In response, Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Chair Dr. Willie Parker issued the following statement:
“For seven years, conservative congressional leaders have tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act. I hope the news last night will make leaders in Congress realize that it is time to cease efforts to destroy what is a literal lifeline for millions of Americans.
It’s time for health care equity for all.
It’s time to stop inventing ways to deny people the right to affordable, comprehensive health care. It’s time to stop targeting women’s health care via making it more expensive and finding new ways to restrict care. It’s time to start treating abortion care as what is it is: a part of comprehensive health care that should be covered by all forms of insurance, including public insurance. It’s time to listen to evidence: birth control without extra copays has helped patients be healthier and thrive, access to preventive care saves lives, and comprehensive sex education and resources work. It’s time for health care equity for all. It’s time to stop attacking Medicaid, one of the most successful health care programs in our country’s history. It’s time to close the gap between Americans who have health care and those who don’t. In short, repeal of the ACA is an idea whose time will never come.
I implore congressional leaders to listen to doctors and patients and to start treating health care as the right that it is.”