Hoeven ‘supportive’ of newest GOP repeal effort opposed by numerous national medical organizations

 

(BISMARCK, ND) – The Fargo Forum reported yesterday that U.S. Senator John Hoeven is “supportive” of the newest Republican health care repeal bill known as Graham-Cassidy. Hoeven’s support comes as no fewer than 18 national medical and patient organizations announced their opposition to the bill.
 
State Senator Tom Campbell – who is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on television ads for his U.S. Senate campaign 14 months before election day – hasn’t said a word about Graham-Cassidy or its impacts on North Dakota. Neither has Congressman Kevin Cramer.
 
“North Dakotans have been clear that they expect our leaders to work for real, bipartisan health care solutions that lower costs and protect patients, without kicking tens of thousands of North Dakotans off their health insurance, without dismantling Medicaid, and without jeopardizing rural hospitals that are critical in states like ours,” said Democratic-NPL Chairwoman Kylie Oversen. “Unfortunately Republicans in Washington and our own Senator John Hoeven haven’t gotten that message. While Kevin Cramer has supported equally devastating measures in the past, perhaps the silence from Tom Campbell on Graham-Cassidy suggests he understands what an awful piece of legislation this truly is. Campbell apparently wants to be a senator, but he’s too scared to say if he stands for a bill that would hurt North Dakota.”

Graham-Cassidy’s impacts on North Dakota:
 
Last week, the nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities released a report showing that North Dakota stands to lose $677 million in Medicaid funding over the next decade under Graham-Cassidy. Medicaid provides health coverage for over 90,000 North Dakotans, including approximately 36,000 children. Another report from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation found that Graham-Cassidy would impose an age tax on older Americans, allowing insurers to charge them up to 5 times more for coverage.

Major medical organizations oppose Graham-Cassidy: 
 
Today, the American Medical Association – the largest organization representing physicians in the United States – announced their opposition to Graham-Cassidy, writing:
 
“Similar to proposals that were considered in the Senate in July, we believe the Graham-Cassidy Amendment would result in millions of Americans losing their health insurance coverage, destabilize health insurance markets, and decrease access to affordable coverage and care.” 
 
The AMA added that Graham-Cassidy, “violates the precept of ‘first do no harm.’”
 
Other national organizations opposing the bill include: 
 
– American Medical Association 
– American College of Physicians
– ALS Association
– American Cancer Society 
– American Diabetes Association
– American Heart Association
– American Lung Association
– Arthritis Foundation
– Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
– Family Voices
– JDRF
– Lutheran Services in America
– March of Dimes
– National Health Council
– National Multiple Sclerosis Society
– National Organization for Rare Diseases
– Volunteers of America
– WomenHeart