Wyden Statement on Senate Republican Health Care Draft

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement on the Senate Republican’s health care draft, released earlier today:

“The House and Senate bills should be known as ‘mean’ and ‘meaner.’” Wyden said. “Republicans will keep telling Americans they’re fixing their health care right up until the minute it’s taken away. After all the talk about throwing out the House bill and starting fresh, the Senate proposal still slashes Medicaid to fund big tax breaks for the wealthy, raises costs and guts protections for people with pre-existing conditions. This proposal makes clear that Senate Republicans intend to gamble with Americans’ health care to score a political victory.”

“I also want to make special note of the state waiver provision. Republicans have twisted and abused a part of the Affordable Care Act I wrote to promote state innovation, and they’re using it to give insurance companies the power to run roughshod over individuals. This amounts to hiding an attack on basic health care guarantees behind state waivers, and I will fight it at every turn.”

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