Congressman Mike Michaud today voted against H.R. 2575, legislation that would make it easier for employers to deny hardworking Americans healthcare coverage. The bill changes the definition of a full-time work week under the Affordable Care Act from 30 to 40 hours a week -- and in the process puts at risk the employee-sponsored health coverage of one million people, according to estimates from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
"Mainers deserve access to the highest quality of healthcare available -- and that is why I have always been open to common-sense measures that work toward that outcome," said Michaud. "But making it easier for people to lose their healthcare is not the answer. This legislation will not do anything at all to improve access to or quality of healthcare for anyone -- in fact, just the opposite."
In addition to depriving Americans of healthcare coverage and adding to the number of uninsured, House Republicans have not specified how they will pay for this legislation. According to CBO estimates, this legislation will increase the deficit by $74 billion.
"This legislation stands to increase the burden on those Americans who are least equipped to handle it," added Michaud. "Just yesterday, Republicans blocked efforts to bring popular legislation that would raise the minimum wage to a vote -- and today, they're passing a bill that will harm Mainers' health and wallets."
Michaud is on the record supporting common-sense fixes to the Affordable Care Act. Earlier this year, Michaud co-sponsored the Protecting Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Responders Act, which ensures that volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders do not count toward a municipality's responsibility to provide certain employees health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).