What the newest GOP repeal bill means for North Dakota

(BISMARCK, ND) – In their relentless effort to pass some version of a health care repeal bill – it seems any version will do – Senate Republicans will vote this evening on a so-called “skinny repeal bill.”

There are many details we don’t yet know about this bill, which would impact one-sixth of the national economy, and will receive a vote in a matter of hours. But, here’s what we do know from the publically available information: 

Coverage losses: As many as 34,600 North Dakotans could lose their health coverage by 2026 in addition to tens of millions of Americans across the country.

Premium increases: In North Dakota, annual health insurance premiums would increase by an average of $794.

Uncompensated care: North Dakota hospitals would face increased costs in uncompensated care totaling an estimated $31 million.

Blank check to dismantle Medicaid: Passing this new version of a repeal bill – which has received no hearings, has not gone through the normal committee process, and the details of which are still unknown to Senators who are about to vote on it – would give House Republicans a blank check to impose deep cuts and begin dismantling Medicaid. 

Republican Senators know this bill is “terrible policy”: Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) today called skinny repeal “terrible policy” and admitted that it would “destroy insurance markets and not even remotely replace [the Affordable Care Act.”

“Senator Hoeven’s own Republican colleagues are calling this bill ‘terrible policy,’” said Democratic-NPL spokesperson Daniel Tick. “What will it take for Senator Hoeven to drop his support for this effort to repeal health care for tens of thousands of North Dakotans, and instead sit down with members of both parties and work on bipartisan solutions that truly improve our care?”

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Hoeven wasn’t so concerned about Medicaid cuts after all

(BISMARCK, ND) – Last night, Senator Hoeven seemed to forget that the Better Care Reconciliation Act – Senate Republicans’ version of a “repeal and replace” bill – included nearly $800 billion in Medicaid cuts. He voted in favor of the bill, after saying just two weeks earlier he opposed it. Despite Hoeven’s vote in favor of passage, nine Republicans joined Democrats to vote the bill down.

Today, Senate Republicans tried to pass a “repeal and do nothing” measure, which would have cut Medicaid by even more: $842 billion. Once again, Hoeven voted in favor of the bill and, once again, the bill failed.

In response, Democratic-NPL spokesperson Daniel Tick issued the following statement:

“Oh, well. What’s another $42 billion in cuts to Medicaid? Maybe Senator Hoeven wasn’t so concerned about Medicaid cuts after all.

“Congressman Cramer made no secret about his support for the efforts to take health care away from tens of thousands of North Dakotans. But Senator Hoeven hid from the process as long as he could, until he was forced to take a vote. Unfortunately, Hoeven’s vote would be just as devastating as Cramer’s for the people of North Dakota.” 

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Hoeven forgets BCRA includes nearly $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid

Sometimes we forget things, too…

(BISMARCK, ND) – Last night, Senator John Hoeven forgot about a few things. 772 billion things, to be exact.

That’s how much Medicaid spending would be cut under the deeply unpopular Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). Last night, Hoeven voted in favor of the bill, after announcing just two weeks ago that he opposed it due to concerns about “the bill’s impact on Medicaid.”

“We hope Senator Hoeven hasn’t also forgotten about 90,000 North Dakotans who rely on Medicaid for access to lifesaving care,” said Democratic-NPL spokesperson Daniel Tick. “We’re sure this was an honest mistake that Sen. Hoeven will be eager to correct as the Senate continues voting over the next few days on measures that threaten to dismantle Medicaid and jeopardize health insurance for tens of thousands of North Dakotans.”  

Across the state, 90,000 North Dakotans rely on Medicaid, including 36,000 children. The BCRA – which was widely panned by health care organizations in North Dakota and across the country – would have cut Medicaid by an estimated $772 billion in the first decade, and by 35 percent over 20 years. Fortunately, the bill was decisively rejected by the Senate after nine Republicans – but not Hoeven – voted against it.   

It’s OK, Senator. Sometimes we forget things, too.

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Dem-NPL chair’s statement on banning transgender Americans from military service

(BISMARCK, ND) – Responding to the president’s decision to ban transgender Americans from U.S. military service, Democratic-NPL chairwoman Kylie Oversen issued the following statement:

“Those who serve in our military represent the very best our country has to offer. They put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we hold dear, and they should be honored for their sacrifices, not shamed for who they are. As former defense secretary Carter said today, if an individual is willing, capable and qualified to serve, that should be the only measure on which they are evaluated. The military is a place to honor service and sacrifice, not litigate social policy.”

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Dem-NPL response to Sen. Hoeven’s vote to proceed on repealing health care for tens of thousands of NDans

(BISMARCK, ND) – Responding to Senator Hoeven’s vote in favor of a procedural motion to advance the health care repeal bill Congressman Cramer helped pass in May, Democratic-NPL chairperson Kylie Oversen issued the following statement:

“Today, Senator Hoeven voted to move forward with the same bill Congressman Cramer helped author and pass in May – a bill that would kick tens of thousands of North Dakotans off their health insurance, increase insurance premiums by 20 percent or more, and force rural hospitals in communities like ours to scale back their services or possibly shutter their doors. With his vote to proceed, Sen. Hoeven showed that he shares Rep. Cramer’s disregard for the voices of thousands of North Dakotans in every corner of our state who have spoken out to protect health care for our families.  

“As we’ve said from the beginning, our federal representatives must show real leadership and a commitment to doing the hard work of governing and fighting for the people of North Dakota – which includes working across the aisle. This has been Sen. Heitkamp’s priority since Day One. We strongly call on Sen. Hoeven to join Sen. Heitkamp at the negotiating table, setting aside irresponsible efforts to dismantle Medicaid, keeping in place protections for patients with preexisting conditions, and working in a bipartisan fashion to improve our health care system.”

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Before tomorrow’s vote, a reminder that medical organizations overwhelmingly oppose Republican repeal bills

(BISMARCK, ND) – With the Senate tentatively scheduled to vote on some form of health care repeal tomorrow (what form of repeal remains a mystery), a new ad by the American Cancer Society highlights that virtually every national medical organization opposes the Republican effort to repeal health care for tens of thousands of North Dakotans and 22 million Americans.

National medical organizations opposing the Republican repeal bills include:

-AARP

-ALS Association

-American Academy of Family Physicians

-American Cancer Society

-American College of Physicians

-American College of Nurse-Midwives

-American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

-American Diabetes Association

-American Health Care Association

-American Heart Association

-American Hospital Association

-American Lung Association

-American Medical Association

-American Muslim Health Professionals

-American Nurses Association

-American Public Health Association

-America’s Essential Hospitals

-American Federation for Suicide Prevention

-America’s Hospitals and Health Systems

-Arthritis Foundation

-Catholic Health Association of the United States

-Catholic Sisters for Health Care

-Children’s Defense Fund

-Church and Society

-Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

-Faith in Public Life

-Friends Committee on National Legislation

-HIV Medicine Association

-Kingdom Mission Society

-Lutheran Services in America

-March of Dimes

-Muscular Dystrophy Association

-National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

-National Disability Rights Network

-National Health Council

-National Multiple Sclerosis Society

-National Organization for Rare Disorders

-National Physicians Alliance

-Sisters of the Good Shepard

-Trust for America’s Health

-Union for Reform Judaism    

Statewide medical organizations opposing the Republican repeal bills include:

-North Dakota Medical Association

-North Dakota Hospital Association

-AARP North Dakota

-Jamestown Regional Medical Center

“Before Senator Hoeven votes tomorrow on a bill that will kick tens of thousands of North Dakotans off their health insurance, he should ask: Who is supporting this proposal?” said Democratic-NPL spokesperson Daniel Tick. “Organizations representing doctors, hospitals, patients, long-term care providers and rural health centers have all spoken out against health care repeal. Senator Hoeven should do the right thing for North Dakota by sitting down at the negotiating table and seeking real, bipartisan solutions that improve access to care and lower costs, rather than dismantling Medicaid and throwing the insurance market into chaos.”

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Cramer, Hoeven both support plan to ‘repeal and do nothing’

CBO says ‘repeal and do nothing’ would result in 32m uninsured Americans; up 10m from ‘repeal and replace’

(BISMARCK, ND) – It’s official. North Dakota’s Rep. Kevin Cramer and Sen. John Hoeven both publicly stated their support for the staggeringly irresponsible plan to “repeal and do nothing” on health care.  

Speaking on KNOX 1310 AM this morning, Rep. Cramer said: “The simplicity of a straight repeal is really the better way to go.”

On KVLY-TV last night, Sen. Hoeven was asked: “The vote that’s coming up next week, are you a Yes for that vote?” Hoeven responded: “I’m a Yes on that. As a matter of fact, we voted on that two years ago.”

In a report yesterday, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the Republican “repeal and do nothing” bill would take health coverage away from 32 million Americans, an increase of 10 million uninsured Americans over the “repeal and replace” bill. In North Dakota, tens of thousands of individuals could lose coverage, either because they would no longer have access to Medicaid or because their insurance premiums would double over the next decade.

Senator Hoeven previously said he would have voted against the Senate’s “repeal and replace” bill, but only after it became obvious that the bill lacked the votes needed to pass.

“It doesn’t matter which version of repeal we’re talking about – every proposal would effectively end Medicaid expansion, rip health coverage away from tens of thousands of North Dakotans, and price even more families out of the insurance market,” said Democratic-NPL spokesperson Daniel Tick. “As every major medical organization has said, these proposals aren’t just bad policy; they’re downright harmful. Now, more than ever, Rep. Cramer and Sen. Hoeven need to hear from the thousands of North Dakotans who are raising their voices in support of protecting our health care. They’ll only listen if we keep calling.”

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Dem-NPL statement on attempts to “resurrect” Republican health care repeal

“Don’t Stop Calling.” 

(BISMARCK, ND) – Responding to reports that Republican Senators are facing pressure from party leaders to resurrect their efforts to rip health care away from tens of thousands of North Dakotans, Democratic-NPL party chairwoman Kylie Oversen issued the following statement: 

“Don’t stop calling. Don’t let up the pressure. Now is not the time to quiet our voices.   

“Thousands of North Dakotans and millions of Americans have already made their voices heard. They’ve demanded our elected officials work together across the aisle to protect our health care.

“But a small group of Senate and House Republicans are doing everything they can to ignore these calls and revive their efforts to dismantle Medicaid and take health coverage away from millions. This is staggeringly irresponsible. Call Senator Hoeven and tell him to vote NO on any plan that takes away our care. Call Congressman Cramer and tell him that his vote to dismantle Medicaid and put health insurance out of reach for thousands of North Dakotan families was wrong. Our voices will be heard, but only if we keep calling.”

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Kevin Cramer, House Republicans offer budget slashing Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP and Social Security

(BISMARCK, ND) – With Republican efforts to rip health coverage away from tens of thousands of North Dakotans in shambles, Congressman Kevin Cramer and House Republicans wasted no time introducing new ways to slash programs like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP and Social Security.

The House Republican budget released on Tuesday would drastically reduce funding for a wide range of programs vital to families throughout North Dakota, while busting the federal budget and assuming fanciful projections to make its math work.

“The backwards priorities in the House GOP budget really make us wonder who Kevin Cramer is looking out for in Washington – North Dakotans, or himself?” said Democratic-NPL chairperson Kylie Oversen. “The cuts included in this budget to programs that are so important to North Dakota would be absurd if they weren’t so cruel.”

Cuts Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP and Social Security

  • Fresh off their failed (for now) effort to dismantle Medicaid, the House Republican budget would slash $200 billion from programs like Medicaid and Social Security.
  • The budget would also prohibit disabled Americans receiving Social Security benefits from collecting unemployment benefits.
  • In keeping with their efforts to dismantle Medicaid, the House Republican budget slashes over $1.5 trillion over the next ten years from Medicaid, which provides access to health care for 90,000 North Dakotans including 36,000 children.
  • The budget would cut nearly $500 billion from Medicare – breaking one of President Trump’s key campaign promises – and turn Medicare into a voucher program that would leave many seniors behind.
  • The budget would impose “enormous cuts” to programs like SNAP on which working-class and low-income Americans rely for food assistance, and which plays a crucial role supporting North Dakota’s farming economy.

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In their own words: Republicans say “repeal w/o replace” is “nonstarter”

Sen. Hoeven’s voice is (unsurprisingly) absent

(BISMARCK, ND) – On the heels of a second failure to pass their so-called ‘health care’ bill, some Senate Republicans are floating the idea of repealing health care protections for tens of thousands of North Dakotans and millions of Americans without passing any replacement at all.

To do so, in the words of many Republicans (but not Sen. Hoeven), would be staggeringly irresponsible. 

According to Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), repealing health care protections in current law without a replacement is a “nonstarter.” “I tell you it will be uncertainty in the insurance markets, premiums will rise for milled-class families, it gives all the power to people who actually don’t believe in president Trump’s campaign pledges,” Cassidy said just days ago.

According to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.VA): “I did not come to Washington to hurt people […] I have serious concerns about how we continue to provide affordable care to those who have benefited from West Virginia’s decision to expand Medicaid, especially in light of the growing opioid crisis. All of the Senate health care discussion drafts have failed to address these concerns adequately […] I cannot vote to repeal Obamacare without a replacement plan that addresses my concerns and the needs of West Virginians.” 

According to Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME): “I will vote no on the motion to proceed to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. I voted against this same proposal in 2015 […] We can’t just hope that we will pass a replacement within the next two years. Repealing without a replacement would create great uncertainty for individuals who rely on the ACA and cause further turmoil in the insurance markets.”

According to our own Sen. Hoeven? ….

Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider said:

“With Senate Republicans’ failure for the second time to pass legislation that would rip health coverage away from tens of thousands of North Dakotans, Senator Hoeven has a choice and an opportunity to come to the table and work to achieve real, bipartisan solutions that protect health care for all North Dakotans and all Americans. Or, he can continue to hide from this process, as members of his own party in Washington, DC, work to pass staggeringly irresponsible measures that put health care out of reach for working families.”   

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Dem-NPL statement on Senate Republican bill failing for the second time

(BISMARCK, ND) – In response to news that Senate Republicans have, for a second time, fallen short of the votes necessary to move their ‘health care’ bill forward, Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider issued the following statement:

“Senator John Hoeven now has a choice. He has the opportunity to come to the table and actually work with Democrats in a real bipartisan way to protect and improve health care for all North Dakotans. Or, he can continue hiding from the process, hoping the discussion on health care will go away. The next step is up to him.”  

Dem-NPL statement on revised Senate health care bill

Sen. Hoeven criticizes severe cuts to Medicaid in private meetings; but will he stand for North Dakotans?

(BISMARCK, ND) – Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider issued the following statement in response to the revised Senate Republican “health care” bill revealed today:

“Senate Republicans are scrambling to salvage their deeply unpopular health care bill. Unfortunately, rather than returning to the drawing board and seeking truly bipartisan solutions that protect North Dakotans, they’ve chosen to maintain their goals of dismantling Medicaid, gutting protections for patients, and making people pay much more for worse coverage. Even under their revised plan, tens of thousands of North Dakotans and millions of Americans will lose their health coverage, and that is simply unacceptable. 

“Senator Hoeven has reportedly criticized this approach behind closed doors. But when push comes to shove, will he protect North Dakotans by voting against this terrible legislation, or will he fall in line with his party’s leaders and vote to rip health coverage away from thousands of North Dakotan families?

“North Dakotans who are deeply worried about the impacts this legislation can’t afford to wait and see as Hoeven ‘reserves judgment.’ They deserve to know where Hoeven stands.”        

In a private meeting with Republican colleagues, Sen. Hoeven reportedly criticized the bill’s provisions that would eliminate Medicaid expansion and dismantle traditional Medicaid. Over 90,000 North Dakotans receive health care though Medicaid, including 36,000 North Dakota children.   

The revised Senate bill maintains Republicans’ goal of dismantling Medicaid, allows health insurers to offer even skimpier coverage, and offers a meager increase in funding to fight opioid addiction, which according to medical professionals falls far short of what’s needed to address the crisis.