Lawson denounces GOP-led effort to repeal Affordable Care Act

U.S. Rep. Al Lawson released the following statement after Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives forced a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with the American Health Care Act:

“Republicans have lost sight of why constituents sent us to Washington D.C. – and it wasn’t to score political points with President Donald Trump. This abomination of a health care disaster will raise health care premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs for hard-working Americans while at the very same time, giving $600 billion in tax breaks to big corporations.

“Some estimated 24 million Americans could lose their health care coverage under this new bill, while those with pre-existing conditions will be at the mercy of their state leadership, which could opt out of guaranteeing them access to affordable health care.  Trumpcare will allow insurance companies to charge people 50 and over five times more than they charge other people and it weakens the life of the Medicare trust fund.

“None of us can choose when and where we will need emergency care, or when we might join the millions of Americans who already have pre-existing conditions. No one should live in fear of not being able to seek medical care because it might lead to higher premiums they cannot afford.

“We need to make it easier to access and afford health care in our country, and Republicans have not put us on the path to do that. Rather they have taken us back in time and created more obstacles for those who need it most to get the health care they need.”