The Senate has until September 30, 2017 to decide on the latest round of repeals and replacements of the Affordable Care Act. Over the past several months, plans have been floated that would have caused our diabetes community (and anyone with a preexisting condition!) to be stripped of the protections needed to ensure we wouldn't be charged more for premiums based on our conditions.The Graham-Cassidy plan is another attempt to penalize people with diabetes. According to an article published by NBC News:
Graham-Cassidy would end the Medicaid expansion in 2020 and reduce the money given to Medicaid by changing how it's allocated. It would no longer provide it for whoever is in need — instead, it would cap the number based on population.The bill would also end the individual mandate to buy insurance and dismantle the structure of the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare. Instead, it would give money to states to implement their own health care systems. And while it would require that people with pre-existing conditions have access to health insurance, like Obamacare, it wouldn't prohibit insurance companies from charging people with long-term health care needs more money.
On October 1, 2017, the Senate will need 60 members voting YES to pass any healthcare plan aimed at repealing and/or replacing ACA. It's crucial that a bipartisan effort is mounted to ensure we all stay safe and healthy - and have access for affordable healthcare options.
This is the week that the Senate must decide - as it stands, the plan would need 52 Senators to pass. While it appears that the latest plan will not, it will once again come down to a few Senators making last minute YES or NO choices. We don't want to be surprised.
You can call your Senators today and urge them to vote NO through the DPAC mobile app.
(The link above will bring you to the download page for both iOS and Google Play.)If you have the DPAC app, simply click on the action "Call Your Senators to say vote NO on the Graham-Cassidy plan. If you have your state listed, it will connect you to your Senators' offices in D.C. - it's that simple!