47,000.

That’s how many North Dakotans are estimated to lose health coverage under Graham-Cassidy.

 

(BISMARCK, ND) – 47,000 North Dakotans would lose health coverage under Republicans’ latest, last-ditch effort to pass a health care repeal bill, according to a new estimate by the Center for American Progress. Across the country, 32 million Americans would lose their coverage.
 
Yesterday, the American Medical Association joined 17 other health care organizations by announcing their opposition to the latest repeal bill, known as Graham-Cassidy. The AMA wrote that, like previous health care repeal bills, Graham-Cassidy “violates the precept of ‘First do no harm.’”        
 
“North Dakotans should ask themselves why national Republicans – including Rep. Kevin Cramer and Sen. John Hoeven – refuse to work on health care reform proposals that don’t start with destructive goals like revoking protections for preexisting conditions, eliminating Medicaid expansion, and dismantling traditional Medicaid,” said Democratic-NPL executive director Scott McNeil. “Supporting a bill that would cause 47,000 North Dakotans and 32 million Americans to lose their health insurance isn’t just bad policy – it’s immoral. Sen. Hoeven and Rep. Cramer should drop these reckless efforts, and instead focus on bipartisan solutions that stabilize insurance markets, expand coverage, and lower costs. There are plenty of good ideas out there, including many of the policies Senator Heitkamp has been working on and accomplishing for years.” 
 
“State Sen. Tom Campbell – an announced candidate for U.S. Senate – also has an obligation to tell us where he stands on ripping health insurance away from 47,000 North Dakotans,” added McNeil.          

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