The moms of America urge every U.S. Senator to vote ‘no’ on gutting our nation’s health care. The revised U.S. Senate Republican health care bill is just as much of a disgrace as its failed first draft. If passed, the Better Care Reconciliation Act would be devastating for moms, children, families, the most vulnerable members of our society, and our economy. Millions of families will suffer if it becomes law.
 
This bill is ridiculously bad. It would take health coverage away from tens of millions of people, raise costs and gut protections for those who don’t lose their coverage altogether, make coverage unaffordable for those who need it the most, end Medicaid as we know it, and undermine our country’s economic growth and prosperity. If the U.S. Senate bill becomes law, most of the health insurance plans available would be much more expensive and much less comprehensive. The legislation would also defund Planned Parenthood, restricting women’s access to the primary and preventive care they need.
 
The amendment offered by U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee makes an already bad bill even worse, allowing insurers to opt out of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage requirements if they offer at least one plan that covers essential health benefits. Insurers would be able to jack up premiums on the more comprehensive plans, undermining coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and leaving millions of Americans who need coverage for things like mental health care, preventative care, birth control, and prescription drugs without an affordable option. Of incredible significance - this amendment will create insurmountable barriers to maternal health coverage for millions of women, cutting many off from care completely. The U.S. currently has one of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates of any developed nation, which makes this especially disgraceful.
 
The Congressional Budget Office next week will surely tell us what we already know – that this bill would strip health insurance from tens of millions of people, and raise premiums and eliminate protections for those who still maintain coverage. This would create a crisis for our nation and particularly for families in vulnerable communities, including low-income families, people with disabilities, the elderly, and those who live in rural and medically underserved communities, with a compounding impact in Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American, and LGBTQ+ communities.
 
Over the past several months, tens of thousands and thousands of MomsRising members across the country have been making calls, attending meetings, sending letters, sharing their stories, and more to urge legislators to support Medicaid and protect the Affordable Care Act -- and we will continue to speak out against every plan that attacks our families’ health and wellbeing.
 
A vote for this bill would be a vote against America’s children and families. Its enactment would damage our country’s health and economic prosperity. We urge the U.S. Senate to reject this dangerous bill.