Many thanks to our supporters! You joined untold thousands of Americans who phoned, emailed, rallied and posted in strong opposition to the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the Republican bill to repeal Pres. Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA). Unable to muster enough Republican votes, House Speaker Paul Ryan, after conferring with Pres. Trump, pulled the bill before an already-postponed vote was held Friday.
Among its draconian cutbacks, AHCA would have ended the Medicaid expansion that covers the working poor and older youth and adults experiencing homelessness, giving them life-saving access to medical care and mental health treatment.
We asked supporters to call Congress to voice their opposition, using a calling system mobilized by the Service Employees International Union.
AHCA would have been devastating for millions of Americans: The Congressional Budget Office said 24 million people, at least 1 million from Illinois, would lose coverage within 10 years under last week’s version of the bill – and the CBO has not had time to estimate the impact of new changes pushed through by the GOP leadership. Medicaid would be slashed by $880 billion, losing millions their health care and costing Illinois an estimated $40 billion in coming years.
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH) advocates with Protect Our Care Illinois. The statewide coalition of health care advocates, providers, and consumers works to prevent repeal of the ACA, prevent disastrous changes to Medicaid, and protect and expand access to quality affordable health care.
Protect Our Care released a statement following the thwarted AHCA vote, crediting “valiant opposition” waged by consumers, workers and advocates.
A partner on the Protect Our Care steering committee, CCH support funds an organizer recently hired by the Illinois coalition. Sign up for email alerts, and follow Protect Our Care on Facebook or on Twitter, @ProtectILCare.
For information about CCH’s work on Protect Our Care, contact Senior Organizer Jim Picchetti.
– Anne Bowhay, Media