Whitehouse Statement on Looming GOP-Made Health Care Cliff

Washington, DC– U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement after the Senate failed to advance a health care plan:
“Republicans refused to make good on their commitment to work in a bipartisan way to lower skyrocketing premiums.  Now, they own the massive fiscal disaster that is about to hit their constituents – health care premiums will double in a matter of weeks.
“The Republican ‘alternative’ to Democrats’ cost-lowering plan doesn’t lower costs at all.  Someone who gets a cancer diagnosis needs good, affordable insurance that pretty much covers their treatment – not $1,000 in a health savings account plus pricy junk health insurance that leaves them on the hook for massive bills.
“Today’s vote is just one more data point showing the American people that Republicans are inexplicably hostile to their own constituents having high-quality health care.”
Because of the Republican health care cuts, Rhode Island is slated to lose up to $5 billion in federal Medicaid funding – taking health care away from Rhode Islanders and harming our already-fragile health care system.  More than 40,000 Rhode Islanders who rely on the Affordable Care Act for their family’s health insurance are seeing their premiums double on average.  About 13,000 Rhode Islanders are expected to drop health insurance coverage altogether because of this Republican-made health care crisis.
Democrats’ proposal, theLower Health Care Costs Act, would extend premium tax credits for three years and insure 4 million more people while reducing premiums.  Four Republicans joined Democrats in voting for this proposal to help American families afford health care.