July 28, 2017
WASHINGTON – Today, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) released the following statement regarding the Senate’s defeated vote 49-51 to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
“Today, communities around the nation spoke up loud and clear and their Senators listened,” said Kathy Ko Chin, APIAHF president and CEO. “Defeat of repeal in the Senate shows that communities will not stay silent as Congress attempts to take away health care from millions, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AAs and NHPIs). Together we took collective action with a clear message — we deserve affordable health care and it should be protected by Congress.”
With defeat of repeal in the Senate, APIAHF strongly encourages both the House of Representatives and Senate to move beyond these efforts and build on the progress of the ACA and close remaining gaps in coverage and improve financial affordability for all Americans.
In May, the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act, which would have repealed major parts of the ACA, including critical consumer protections for those with pre-existing conditions; reduced financial assistance available; and ended Medicaid as we know it. The bill would have eliminated coverage for an estimated 24 million Americans, including up to 2 million AAs and NHPIs. Several versions of repeal introduced and defeated in the Senate would have caused similar coverage losses and put coverage at risk for an estimated 1.6 million AAs and NHPIs.