Schumer Statement on Revised Version of Trumpcare

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today delivered remarks during a press conference regarding the recently released revised version of Trumpcare. Below are his remarks:

Good afternoon everyone. I am proud to be joined by my comrades in arms, Senator Murray of the HELP Committee and Senator Wyden of the Finance Committee.

So, this morning, Senate Republicans have introduced their new version of Trumpcare. The meat of this bill is exactly the same as it was before, and in some ways, they’ve somehow managed to make it even worse.

The bill still sends out of pocket costs for the average American soaring. It takes a sledge hammer to Medicaid. These cuts are every bit as Draconian as they were in the previous Trumpcare Bill.

It still defunds Planned Parenthood. It still has the age tax that could force Americans in their sixties to pay tens of thousands of dollars more for healthcare than they do today. It still forces Americans to pay more for less care.

The fundamental reasons that Americans didn’t like Trumpcare one, means they’ll like Trumpcare two even less. They’ve made some changes to the bill. It’s important for the American people to understand what they do.

First, the new Cruz amendment is a dangerous bait and switch that will lead to junk insurance plans that no American would want.  The Cruz amendment will leave millions of Americans with preexisting conditions out in the cold. There’ll be virtually no real insurance for them. And don’t take it from me. Take it from the AARP, the cancer action network, the American heart association and others.

These groups, non-political, non-partisan, simply representing American patients and citizens say that the Cruz amendment will, quote, “limit enrollment, reduce benefits, create waiting lists, raise premiums, and out of pocket costs to the point of unaffordability.

Senator Grassley, as mainstreamed a Republican from as mainstream America as there is, Senator Grassley said it would “annihilate” the preexisting condition requirement.

Second, on taxes: Republicans are going to try to tell the American people that this bill is no longer a tax giveaway to the wealthy and special interests. Unfortunately, that just isn’t true. This bill still cuts taxes on pharmaceutical companies. It still cuts taxes on health insurance companies. And by expanding health savings accounts, they’ve created a new tax break that goes disproportionately to the wealthy in this country.

Let’s face it, if you have enough money to pay, if you have enough money to put aside in a health savings account, you have enough money to pay premiums. The problem is Americans can’t afford premiums, and the Americans who can’t afford premiums will not be able to afford health savings accounts.

Third, the changes on opioids adds a measly $45 billion to combat the opioid epidemic while slashing 770 billion in Medicaid funding, which is how most of the opioid epidemic is funded. It’s an insult to every family that has suffered a loss from a loved one who died of an overdose.

$45 billion is a drop in the bucket as to what it will take to combat opioid abuse in this country.

Adding $45 billion in opioid funding is about buying Republican votes, not about saving young lives.

The bottom line is this: the core of this bill is just as rotten as it was before. This bill, like the old one, means out of pocket and deductible costs will soar.

This bill, like the old one, is a huge blow to families with loved ones in nursing homes who rely on Medicaid, and to parents whose kids are alive because of Medicaid.

This bill, like the old one, means millions of Americans will lose coverage.

The bill was mean when it passed the House, it’s mean when it was introduced in the Senate, and it’s still mean today.

Republicans should abandon this path, step back from the brink, and work with Democrats to improve health care instead of sabotaging it. We’re waiting for them

Any Republican who votes to proceed on this bill next week will have to look constituents square in the eye and explain why. Why did they move forward on such severe cuts to Medicaid? Why did they cut taxes for special interests? Why did you send my out of pocket costs skyrocketing?

It’s no wonder Republicans don’t want to go home and face their constituents.

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