AARP State Director Thanks California Members of Congress for Opposing Health Care Bill

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STATEMENT OF AARP CALIFORNIA STATE DIRECTOR NANCY MCPHERSON:

On behalf of AARP’s nearly 3.3 million California members, I want to thank the members of California’s Republican and Democratic Congressional delegations for their leadership in taking a stand to oppose the American Health Care Act.

While it’s true that health care costs are continuing to rise, the AHCA would have actually increased prices further, while providing less coverage and giving billions of dollars in tax breaks to pharmaceutical and insurance companies.

Even worse, the AHCA would have weakened Medicare’s fiscal sustainability while dramatically increasing health care costs for older Americans, endangering the health and well-being of low-income seniors who depend on Medi-Cal (Medicaid) for long-term services and other benefits.

The AHCA would have priced more than 3 million Americans, age 50-64, completely out of the health insurance market.  This would represent a step backward by reversing the gains in coverage made under the current health care law, which cut in half the number of older Americans without insurance.

The fact is that Californians and all Americans need a health care system that controls costs and protects consumers, while offering everyone access to quality, affordable care.

As always, AARP is ready and willing to work with members of both political parties on responsible ways to move toward this goal.

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