CONGRESSWOMAN HANABUSA VOTED NO ON TRUMPCARE, H.R. 1628
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa (HI-01) voted in opposition to the passage of the American Health Care Act, better known as "TrumpCare," today. The Act passed with a vote of 217 Ayes against 213 Noes (including 20 cross-over Republican Noes). Prior to the vote, Congresswoman Hanabusa spoke from the floor of the House about the financial burden Hawaii seniors between 50 and 64 years of age will experience in terms of higher premiums under TrumpCare.
Congresswoman Hanabusa: We knew Speaker Ryan would never call for a vote on TrumpCare unless they had the votes to win. In the end, it was close with 20 Republicans crossing over to oppose the TrumpCare bill. Nevertheless, the bill passed out of the House and will now head to the Senate.
What is pathetic is that House Republicans had seven years to work with House Democrats to fashion bipartisan improvements to the ACA. Instead, they waited until President Trump was elected to call for the "repeal" of Obamacare. Succeeding today after one failed attempt, House Republicans celebrated with President Trump at the White House for having killed Obamacare. What they actually did was much worse: House Republicans and President Trump betrayed their constituents. President Trump promised a "better" health care plan with "insurance for everybody." That is not, however, what TrumpCare provides.
The House TrumpCare bill will leave an estimated 24 million Americans without health coverage over the next ten years. It will cut billions from Medicaid and transfer ~$600 billion to large corporations and the wealthiest families in this country. TrumpCare forces Americans between 50 and 64 to pay an age tax that will increase their premiums by five times more than what others will pay for the same coverage. TrumpCare also steals from the Medicare Trust Fund, shortening the life span of the fund by three years. Premiums and deductibles will also increase, along with out-of-pocket costs. Finally, to secure the passage of TrumpCare the second time around, House Republicans had to agree to allow states the option of waiving "Essential Health Benefits" and the community rating rules, which prevent insurers from charging higher premiums to those with preexisting conditions. This will make it very difficult, if not impossible, for those with existing health issues to find affordable healthcare coverage. Finally, the effect, if any, of the House TrumpCare bill on Hawaii's Prepaid Health Care Act remains to be seen, largely dependent on what happens in the Senate.
In closing, I am saddened and dismayed that House Republicans and President Trump, in their eagerness to pass healthcare legislation, would put forth a flawed TrumpCare bill largely opposed by the healthcare industry and then publicly celebrate having been made aware of the impending harm it will cause to millions of Americans. I will now stand with my Democrat House colleagues and fight to stop this flawed TrumpCare bill from passing the Senate.