Rep. Kind Votes Against Disastrous Bill that Forces Wisconsinites to Pay More for Health Care While Receiving Less Coverage

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Ron Kind voted against the Congressional Republican health care bill. The bill, which lacks transparency and complete information about what it will cost American taxpayers, would have a disastrous impact on the lives of thousands of Wisconsinites.

"Never before in our nation's history has a Congress and Administration offered a health care reform bill that instead of lowering the uninsured rate actually increases the number of uninsured individuals by 24 million people. That is because this is a large tax cut bill for the wealthiest paid for by kicking 24 million people off their healthcare coverage. It will allow critical protections for people with pre-existing conditions to be taken away, lead to skyrocketing premiums for older Wisconsinites, and put Medicare four years closer to going bankrupt. Instead of rushing forward a bill, without any hearings or cost estimate, we need to recognize what works in healthcare, fix what doesn't, and seek to lower healthcare costs for all Americans," said Rep. Kind.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that insurance premiums for older Wisconsinites could increase by 25% and the bill would result in loss of coverage for over 24 million people and 431,000 Wisconsinites.

The bill has an especially negative impact on older Wisconsinites. It would take $170 billion dollars away from Medicare, which over 137,270 people in Wisconsin's Third Congressional District depend on, and jeopardizes the benefits that seniors have earned.

While Wisconsinites are forced to pay more for less, drastic cuts are made to BadgerCare, and access to care in rural areas is jeopardized. Instead of providing more health care coverage to Wisconsinites, the bill gives over 800 billion in tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires. The wealthiest .01% will receive a yearly average tax break of almost $200,000.

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