Senate Republicans’ so-called ‘health care’ bill imposes even deeper cuts to Medicaid, cuts taxes for the wealthy

(BISMARCK, ND) – Today, Senate Republicans finally released the full text of their health care legislation, which was drafted behind closed doors in a highly secretive process without allowing public hearings.

Here’s what the bill’s details reveal:

Imposes even deeper cuts to Medicaid – The bill would impose even deeper cuts to Medicaid than the House version, which effectively eliminates Medicaid expansion and cuts funding for non-expansion Medicaid by $880 billion. In North Dakota, 20,000 individuals who gained health coverage through Medicaid expansion would stand to lose access to care. Additionally, tens of thousands of North Dakotans who depend on non-expansion Medicaid would face significantly reduced or eliminated coverage, including 36,000 low-income North Dakotan children. Critical care access hospitals throughout rural North Dakota also depend on Medicaid funding to help keep their doors open. 

Guts protections for patients with pre-existing conditions – The bill allows insurance companies to water down health care plans by allowing states to opt out of requiring “essential health benefits.” Essential health benefits cover services like maternity care, substance abuse treatment and behavioral health services, as well as other provisions that guarantee patients are provided quality coverage. As many as 300,000 North Dakotans have pre-existing conditions, which can include asthma, cancer, diabetes, or even being pregnant. These patients would face substantially increased health care costs, putting quality health care out of reach for many. 

Provides tax cuts for the wealthy – Perhaps the cruelest aspect of the Senate Republican health care bill is that it would devastate health coverage for tens of thousands of North Dakotan families – and millions of Americans nationwide – all while giving billions of dollars in tax breaks to the most affluent and special interests, like national insurance companies that pay their CEOs over $500,000. 

In response to the release of Senate Republicans’ health care bill, Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider said:

“As expected, this legislation closely mirrors Kevin Cramer’s so-called ‘health care’ bill, which rips health coverage away from over 30,000 North Dakotans, while increasing premiums for average North Dakotans by about $800 per year. It would gut protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, increase out-of-pocket health care costs, and devastate Medicaid, which provides health coverage to 93,000 North Dakotans, including 36,000 children whose health care would be jeopardized. It does all of this while also cutting taxes for the most affluent individuals and special interests groups. That’s cruel, plain and simple, and it’s wrong for North Dakota.”  

Sen. Hoeven on public hearings for health care bill: ‘I don’t anticipate that.’

Hoeven refuses to call for public hearings on bill to strip coverage from tens of thousands of North Dakotans

 

(BISMARCK, ND) – Another day, and Senator John Hoeven still refuses to call for public hearings on a bill The Fargo Forum reports would strip health coverage away from 30,100 North Dakotans. The legislation being drafted behind closed doors by Senate Republicans is anticipated to come up for a vote as soon as next week, without any public hearings or consideration of bipartisan amendments.       

According to The Forum: “The Senate bill is being drafted in secret, without public hearings or the opportunity to offer amendments. Senators reportedly will have 10 hours to review the bill before voting on it.”

Appearing recently on KVLY-TV, Sen. Hoeven was asked bluntly: “Will there be hearings on this bill?” His response: “I don’t anticipate that.”  

In response, Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider released the following statement:

“Here in North Dakota, we believe in an open process where laws are passed in full view of the public. Refusing to hold public hearings on a bill that threatens to rip health coverage away from tens of thousands of North Dakotans, while increasing out-of-pocket costs for hundreds of thousands more, simply isn’t the North Dakota way. We deserve better from our elected leaders. Sen. Hoeven, will you stand up for North Dakotans and demand they get to see what’s in the bill? Will you vote against this bill if it threatens to rip health coverage away from North Dakotan families as the House version would do?”

Cramer, Hoeven continue blocking ‘health care’ bills from public scrutiny

Senior GOP official on why they won’t make their bill public: “We aren’t stupid.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 13, 2017

(BISMARCK, ND) – Rep. Kevin Cramer was instrumental in authoring the House Republican ‘health care’ bill behind closed doors, refusing to let the public see it, preventing consideration of amendments from across the aisle, and ultimately passing the bill without an official score from the Congressional Budget Office. None of this should come as a surprise considering the bill would dismantle protections for pre-existing conditions, leave 23 million more Americans uninsured, and drive up premiums for North Dakotans by injecting instability into the marketplace. 

Now, as the Senate works on its version of the bill, Sen. John Hoeven is following Cramer’s example. Like Cramer, Senate Republicans are drafting their ‘health care’ bill behind closed doors, and announced they “have no plans to publicly release it.” Asked why they won’t make their version of the bill public, a senior Senate aid told reporters: “We aren’t stupid.”

In the latest twist in Republican efforts to shield their so-called ‘health care’ bills from public scrutiny, it was today reported that U.S. Capitol reporters “have been told they are not allow to film interviews with senators in hallways, contrary to years of precedent.”

Responding to Cramer and Hoeven’s attempts to overhaul the nation’s health care behind closed doors, Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider released the following statement:

“Kevin Cramer set a dangerous example when he led the effort to dismantle protections for pre-existing conditions, once again allow insurance companies to gouge working families, and slash funding for Medicaid by hundreds of billions of dollars. Now, Senator Hoeven is following suit. We should all be asking: If Cramer and Hoeven’s health care proposals are as good as they claim, why must they resort to such drastic measures to prevent public scrutiny? And, if these proposals are as harmful as every single independent analysis shows, how can we trust Cramer and Hoeven to do what’s right for North Dakotans?”

# # #

Background:

Republican ‘Health Care’ Bill Would Leave 23 Million More Uninsured, C.B.O. Says: “A bill to dismantle the Affordable Care Act that narrowly passed the House this month would leave 14 million more people uninsured next year than under President Barack Obama’s health law — and 23 million more in 2026, the Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday. Some of the nation’s sickest would pay much more for health care.”

Under Kevin Cramer’s ‘health care’ bill, insurance premiums in North Dakota will increase $794 – $871 in North Dakota next year: In its recent report, the CBO found that health insurance premiums would increase by an average of 20 percent in 2018, after which premiums would become highly volatile from state-to-state as markets become destabilized. In North Dakota in 2018, that would mean average increases in premiums of $794 – $871 for individuals who are roughly 40 years old, according to pricing data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. 

Wayne Stenehjem joins political effort to support travel ban

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2017

(BISMARCK, N.D.) – After multiple federal courts have blocked President Trump’s travel ban from implementation, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has joined Republican officials from 15 other states to support the ban at the Supreme Court.

In response to Stenehjem’s actions, Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider released the following statement:

“While our safety and security are paramount, the problem with this ban is that it’s disingenuous and actually hurts our country in the war against ISIS, as national security experts have stated over and over.

“We are America and we have always welcomed those who seek a better future. Communities across North Dakota have been built and supported by refugees and immigrants from Canada, Norway, Somalia, Iraq, and many places in between. Immigrants from all over the world help support our economies – working at our businesses and starting their own, filling critical jobs, and growing their families here in our state. They are part of our community.

“Stenehjem wants to play politics with an issue that’s about community, family, and safety. That’s disappointing and wrong – and he should know better.”

# # #

Kevin Cramer’s ‘health care’ bill threatens addiction treatment for 1.84 million Americans

Cramer says his priority is addressing the addiction crisis; his actions tell a different story

(BISMARCK, ND) – Last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its official analysis of the Republican ‘health care’ bill. According to the CBO, 23 million Americans would lose their health insurance and 1.84 million Americans seeking treatment for drug addiction and mental health disorders would be at risk of losing coverage or facing substantially higher costs. 

In North Dakota, where the number of overdose deaths increased 125 percent from 2013-14, Cramer helped pass a bill that would dismantle many of the protections necessary to address this crisis.

“Cramer likes to talk about how he prioritizes fighting the opioid abuse crisis that’s become so prevalent and painful for many families in North Dakota, particularly in our rural communities,” said Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider. “But when it comes time to turn words into action, we see Cramer’s true colors. This legislation, which every independent analysis shows will be awful for North Dakota, threatens to leave nearly 2 million Americans seeking addiction treatment out in the cold.”

The Republican health care bill, which Cramer has championed, would cut $880 billion from Medicaid and effectively end Medicaid expansion. According to the U.S. Joint Economic Committee, Medicaid covers 17.4 percent of opioid addiction treatment in North Dakota. The Republican legislation also allows states to rescind many of the existing protections related to health insurance benefits, including those dealing with addiction treatment and mental health care. The CBO estimates that one-third of Americans live in states that would rescind some protections and one-sixth of Americans live in states that would rescind many protections.

This means that 1.84 million Americans who are currently receiving treatment for substance-use disorders would be at risk of losing their coverage and/or being forced to pay much higher costs for their care.

“At a time when North Dakota is confronting an addiction crisis, Kevin Cramer is putting partisan politics ahead of the citizens he represents,” added Haider. “Cramer’s backwards priorities threaten our families.”   

# # #

Background:

The Republican ‘health care’ bill threatens addiction treatment for1.84 million Americans: Approximately 1.84 million people in the US are receiving treatment for substance-use disorders or mental illnesses through the Medicaid expansion or the ACA’s individual insurance marketplace, according to research conducted by Richard Frank, a professor of health economics at Harvard Medical School, and Sherry Glied, a dean at New York University. All of those people would be at risk of losing the approximately $5.5 billion paid out for treatment through those two avenues of insurance.

Congressman Cramer’s bill would leave 3,000 ND vets without health care

Yet another independent report shows devastating impacts of Republican health care bill on ND veterans   

 

(BISMARCK, ND) – Yet another nonpartisan report out this week shows the devastating impacts of the Republican health care bill for veterans in North Dakota. According to the report issued by Families USA, a national health advocacy group, about 3,000 North Dakota veterans would likely lose health insurance if the legislation championed by Congressman Kevin Cramer becomes law.    

“Once again, Kevin Cramer says one thing and then does another – this time, it’s trying to take away health care from veterans who have put their lives on the line to defend us,” said Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider. “If Cramer’s bill becomes law, 3,000 men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country would likely lose their health coverage. Jeopardizing health care for veterans is the wrong approach for North Dakota.”

The Families USA report points out that Medicaid, which would be cut by $880 billion under the Republican health care bill, is a critical source of health coverage for our nation’s veterans. Across the country, roughly 1.75 million veterans rely on Medicaid for their care, including 3,000 veterans who live right here in North Dakota. According to the report: 

“About 340,000 veterans nationally receive coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion. Most of these veterans would likely lose that coverage if Congress passes the Republican proposal to slash funding for the Medicaid expansion. 

Republicans in the House of Representatives have also proposed to radically change the structure of the Medicaid program by capping and cutting funding—a blow to the Medicaid program that would put the health care of 1.75 million veterans at risk.” 

 “When it comes to protecting health care for our citizens, Kevin Cramer is clearly looking out for his own interests, rather than the interests of North Dakota’s veterans and working families,” added Haider.   

 

Background:

GOP health care bill cuts $880 billion from Medicaid, in addition to $600 billion cut in Trump’s budget: The cuts include: All $880 billion in Medicaid cuts included in the Republican health plan that has passed the House, plus $610 billion in additional cuts due to adopting an even stingier formula for increasing Medicaid funding year over year. This amounts to a total cut to Medicaid of over 47 percent. […] The Trump budget would literally cut Medicaid in half by the final year.

Cramer has a history of using veterans to further his political ambitions: You may recall in 2014 when Cramer unethically used the Veterans Cemetery in North Dakota for a campaign ad in his race against George Sinner. The ad used veterans’ headstones as if they were props and threatened funding for the cemetery. Cramer later took down the ad from TV after increased pressure but would not apologize for his distasteful act […] Cramer used veterans for political campaign purposes similar to the way he has used political talking points against Obamacare to win elections. Unfortunately after winning, he has decided his campaign against Obamacare was more important than his campaign for veterans. In his rush to repeal and replace Obamacare, he knowingly made it more difficult for millions of American veterans to afford access to healthcare outside of the VA he claims to despise. 

CBO report: Republican health care bill would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured

Congressman Cramer was key architect of bill that CBO says guts protections for pre-existing conditions; increases premiums by 20% next year; and slashes Medicaid by $834 billion

 CBO: “Less healthy people would face extremely high premiums” under GOP health care bill


(BISMARCK, ND) – The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) today released its official analysis of the Republican health care bill, which Congressman Kevin Cramer helped author and pass through the U.S. House of Representatives on a narrow, party-line vote. 

“Today’s CBO analysis makes it absolutely clear that the Republican health care bill would increase costs and reduce the quality of health care for thousands of North Dakotans, while putting care entirely out of reach for thousands more,” said Democratic-NPL Executive Director Robert Haider. “According to the CBO, this legislation which Congressman Cramer helped write, would effectively eliminate protections for preexisting conditions in many states, bring instability to the health insurance marketplace, and deny coverage to thousands of individuals, families, seniors, and veterans across our state. It is yet another example of Cramer looking out for his own interests – and the interests of his special interest allies in Washington, D.C. – rather than doing what’s best for the people he’s supposed to represent.”   

According to the CBO, the Republican health care bill would be detrimental to millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions, those who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage, and those who struggle to afford health premiums, such as seniors citizens, veterans and other vulnerable groups:

-Under the Republican health care bill, the number of uninsured Americans would increase by 23 million by 2026, with 14 million Americans losing coverage within the next year alone.

-Protections for patients with pre-existing would be gutted and “less healthy people would face extremely high premiums,” according to the budget office.

-The Republican health care bill would cut Medicaid by $834 billion, in addition to the $600 billion cut to Medicaid already proposed in the president’s budget released yesterday. In North Dakota alone, 93,000 people rely on Medicaid for health coverage, including 36,000 children. Many of these 93,000 North Dakotans would face the possibility of losing their care.

-Health insurance premiums would increase by 20 percent next year, and 5 percent the following year, after which health insurance premiums would vary widely on a state-by-state basis due to instability in the health insurance market. 

 # # #

Dem-NPL statement on FY2018 budget

(BISMARCK, ND) – In response to the release of President Trump’s 2018 budget, Democratic-NPL Executive Director Robert Haider issued the following statement:

“Unsurprisingly, this proposal is bad news for North Dakota. It includes windfall benefits for the wealthy and steep cuts to services for seniors, children, working families and rural communities, all while failing to balance our national budget or promote responsible spending policies. 

“Under this budget, hundreds of billions of dollars would be cut from Medicaid in the next 10 years. This would be especially harmful in North Dakota where tens of thousands of individuals rely on Medicaid for access to affordable health care. It slashes farm safety net programs, which are vital to North Dakota’s economy and protect hardworking farmers throughout our state. It further cuts funding for children’s health insurance and medical research, public schools and affordable student loan programs, and programs that support our most vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly.   

“Simply put, this proposal benefits the wealthy while leaving the working class and rural North Dakotans out to dry. It cuts the vital programs that keep our communities safe and strong and our citizens healthy. And it is not an honest attempt at balancing our budget.”

# # #

 Background:

NYT: Trump’s budget sets out an austere vision for reordering the nation’s priorities: President Trump plans to unveil on Tuesday a $4.1 trillion budget for 2018 that would cut deeply into programs for the poor, from health care and food stamps to student loans and disability payments, laying out an austere vision for reordering the nation’s priorities. The document [includes] an improbable promise of 3 percent economic growth. The wildly optimistic projections balance Mr. Trump’s budget, at least on paper, even though the proposal makes no changes to Social Security’s retirement program or Medicare, the two largest drivers of the nation’s debt. To compensate, the package contains deep cuts in entitlement programs that would hit hardest many of the economically strained voters who propelled the president into office. Over the next decade, it calls for slashing more than $800 billion from Medicaid, the federal health program for the poor, while slicing $192 billion from nutritional assistance and $272 billion over all from welfare programs. […] The plan would cut by more than $72 billion the disability benefits upon which millions of Americans rely. It would eliminate loan programs that subsidize college education for the poor and those who take jobs in government or nonprofit organizations.

Vox: The trillions in shocking cuts in Donald Trump’s budget, explained: What’s more, his budget assumes an extremely unrealistic economic growth rate — 3 percent, above the currently projected 1.9 percent — due to the administration’s tax plan. It appears the administration is counting on that growth both to pay for its spending in this budget and to pay for its tax cuts, meaning the budget doesn’t really add up at all. […] Cuts include:

All $880 billion in Medicaid cuts included in the Republican health plan that has passed the House, plus $610 billion in additional cuts due to adopting an even stingier formula for increasing Medicaid funding year over year. This amounts to a total cut to Medicaid of over 47 percent.

$191 billion in cuts from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That’s about a 25 percent cut. This will effectively kick many people off the program or dramatically cutting benefit amounts.

$40.4 billion in cuts to the earned income tax credit and child tax credit over 10 years, programs that, along with SNAP, make up much of the US’s safety net for poor people.

Trump’s budget take aim at crop insurance: Trump’s first budget proposal, set to be released Tuesday, asks Congress to slash food stamp spending in fiscal year 2018 by more than a quarter and severely restrict how much the federal government subsidizes crop insurance premiums for large farms — painful propositions as tens of millions of Americans struggle to make ends meet and the farm economy tanks under the weight of low commodity prices. The president’s plan, previewed by his budget chief on Monday, would deliver hits to mandatory spending on both sides of the farm bill, which lawmakers are scheduled to reauthorize in 2018, en route to delivering $228 billion in savings from farm bill programs over 10 years. And that’s on top of a reduction in USDA discretionary spending that is expected to be in the neighborhood of 20 percent, per the “skinny” budget the White House put out in March.

Kevin Cramer forced to defend increased health insurance costs for veterans

GOP health care bill would increase insurance costs for 8 million veterans nationwide

 

(BISMARCK, ND) – At a public event, Congressman Kevin Cramer was forced to defend provisions of the deeply unpopular Republican health care bill, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), which would increase health insurance costs for an estimated 8 million veterans nationwide. 

“The AHCA would remove protections previously enacted under the [Affordable Care Act] for pre-existing conditions, lifetime caps, the creation of high-risk polls, and protections for capped prescription costs,” said Jamie Stewart, a disabled National Guard veteran, who spoke to Cramer at the event. “This isn’t my opinion. These are opinions from organizations like Kaiser Family Foundation and AARP.”   

Stewart also shared that he suffers from a “chronic and debilitating” autoimmune illness resulting from an adverse reaction he had to a vaccine that was administered during his service. Stewart added that, because he is unable to receive the medical care he needs through the VA, he faces significant out-of-pocket costs.   

Over the last several months, Congressman Cramer has served as a key architect of the Republican health care bill, which would allow insurance companies to once again deny coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions and removes tax credits provided to veterans to help them purchase health insurance on the private market. As a result, according to the CBO, approximately 8 million veterans across the country would face the threat of increased health insurance costs.

North Dakota is home to over 56,000 veterans who would be especially impacted by the removal of these tax credits because many live in rural areas where it is difficult to access VA care, and so they choose to rely on private-market health care instead.

“I want to know what you expect me to do?” asked Stewart at the event. “If these measures become law, I’ll have to decide to either go into bankruptcy because I won’t be able to afford the increased premiums, or die because I can’t afford the necessary care.”

“I don’t personally believe you will have to make that choice,” Cramer responded before moving on to the next question.

# # #

BACKGROUND: 

GOP health care bill would strip away protections to ensure 8 million veterans receive tax credits: The agreement comes in a week in which Senate Democrats are standing apart from Trump on a separate issue affecting veterans, the GOP bill passed by the House to repeal and replace the nation’s health care law. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., warned the House measure would strip away explicit protections to ensure that as many as 8 million veterans who are eligible for VA care but opt to use private insurance would still receive tax credits. Many veterans use a private insurer if they feel a VA facility is too far away, or if they don’t qualify for fuller VA coverage because they have higher incomes or ailments unrelated to their time in service, said Duckworth, a combat veteran who lost her legs and partial use of her right arm during the Iraq war.

Cramer has a history of using veterans to further his political ambitions: You may recall in 2014 when Cramer unethically used the Veterans Cemetery in North Dakota for a campaign ad in his race against George Sinner. The ad used veterans’ headstones as if they were props and threatened funding for the cemetery. Cramer later took down the ad from TV after increased pressure but would not apologize for his distasteful act […] Cramer used veterans for political campaign purposes similar to the way he has used political talking points against Obamacare to win elections. Unfortunately after winning, he has decided his campaign against Obamacare was more important than his campaign for veterans. In his rush to repeal and replace Obamacare, he knowingly made it more difficult for millions of American veterans to afford access to healthcare outside of the VA he claims to despise.  

Quinnipiac: 21% Approve Of Revised GOP Health Plan: Only 21 percent of American voters approve of the Republican health care plan passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week, a slight improvement over the 17 percent who approved of the first health care plan in March, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. Overall, the current health plan goes down 56 – 21 percent. Except for an anemic 48 – 16 percent support among Republicans, every listed party, gender, educational, age and racial group opposes the plan, the independent Quinnipiac University Poll finds. Under the new plan, their health insurance costs will go up, 42 percent of voters say, while 11 percent say they will go down and 37 percent say insurance costs will stay the same. American voters approve 64 – 32 percent of the current law which prevents health insurance companies from raising premiums on people with pre-existing conditions. 

GOP health bill could cut kids’ Medicaid funding by $43 billion nationwide, $59 million in ND

Congressman Cramer was key architect of GOP health bill that also threatens Medicaid expansion for 20,000 North Dakotans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 19, 2017 

(BISMARCK, N.D.) – A nonpartisan report released yesterday shows the Republican health care bill, which narrowly passed the House and was authored in part by Congressman Kevin Cramer, could cut Medicaid funding for nondisabled children by $43 billion dollars nationwide, and by $59 million in North Dakota, over the next 10 years. Avalere Health, a leading healthcare research and consulting firm, prepared the report for the Children’s Hospital Association.

According to the report:

“Under an AHCA-like per capita cap model, federal [Medicaid] funding for traditional children would be reduced by a cumulative $43 billion over 10 years with reductions in spending becoming more dramatic each year.

[…]

Further, spending reductions for children will be even more dramatic when accounting for children enrolled through the disabled basis-of-eligibility group. On average, 1.6 million children between 0-18 years of age are enrolled in Medicaid each month due to disability and would also be impacted by federal funding reductions under the AHCA’s per capita cap model.”  

Additionally, according to the report:

Nationally, children represent the largest group covered by Medicaid […] Children in Medicaid could be disproportionately affected by cuts to funding and benefits leading to instability in coverage and access, which can cause higher rates of unmet healthcare needs and worse health outcomes compared to children that have continuous coverage.”   

In addition to capping funding for non-expansion Medicaid, which is a key aspect of the Republican health care bill, the legislation would also end Medicaid expansion by 2020. This would be especially painful for North Dakota, where 20,000 individuals have gained access to health care through Medicaid expansion and would be at risk of losing their care. Medicaid expansion is also particularly important to providing access to care in rural communities throughout North Dakota.

“Cramer has prided himself on being a key player in crafting and passing a bill that tons of independent reports show would jeopardize the health care of thousands of children in North Dakota on Medicaid, including many with disabilities,” said Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider. “By pushing a bill that was rushed through the House and hasn’t even had time to receive a final budget score, Cramer has again shown his true colors. This bill does not work for North Dakota families. Cramer should be standing up for North Dakota’s children, but instead, he’s just looking out for himself.” 

 # # # 

BACKGROUND:

20,000 North Dakotans have gained access to health care through Medicaid expansion: A medical assistance program that serves nearly 20,000 North Dakotans faces potential changes under a Republican health plan introduced in the U.S. House in February. Maggie Anderson, medical services director overseeing the Medicaid division in the North Dakota Department of Human Services, said the plan does not eliminate Medicaid Expansion eligibility, but it does considerably reduce the federal money in the partnership with the states […] The Department of Human Services had estimated 20,500 North Dakotans would be eligible for Expanded Medicaid. Initial enrollment was well below that figure, but numbers rose and eventually leveled off near the estimate, Anderson said. As of last September, there were 19,358 individuals enrolled. Statistics show 58 percent of enrollees are rural; 54 percent are female; 48 percent are ages 19 to 35; 18 percent are ages 35 to 44; and 34 percent are ages 45 to 64. Medicaid serves individuals to age 65.

Dem-NPL response to Kevin Cramer ridiculing concerns over firing of FBI Director Comey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 10, 2017

(BISMARCK, ND) – Today, on a local radio program, Congressman Kevin Cramer ridiculed bipartisan concerns over the abrupt firing of FBI Director James Comey, just as the investigation led by Comey into Russian interference in the U.S. election was ramping up.

Congressman Cramer repeatedly dismissed bipartisan concerns over Comey’s firing as “crazy” and “laughable in a pathetic way…It’s just a time for more hyper-partisan crazy liberal talk about Russia.”

Responding to Cramer’s flippant dismissal of growing concerns shared by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, North Dakota Democratic-NPL executive director Robert Haider said:

“Kevin Cramer laughing at an issue of serious national security is disgraceful. President Trump firing the FBI director and the investigation of Russia’s interference in our country’s elections are serious and unprecedented. Republicans and Democrats across Congress have expressed grave concerns with the president’s action, and North Dakotans deserve the same serious response from Kevin Cramer. Instead of making fun of those expressing concerns, he should be calling for a special prosecutor to lead an impartial investigation. Instead of name-calling, he should be standing up for North Dakotans’ security. While Cramer thinks bipartisan concern over Comey’s firing is something to laugh at, his inability to show even a shred of independence would be ‘laughable’ if it wasn’t so irresponsible.”

 -30-  

BACKGROUND:

Comey recently asked the Department of Justice for money for the Russia investigation: “A senior Congressional official with direct knowledge told NBC News that James Comey briefed Congress in recent days that he had requested more staff and money for the Russia investigation from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.  Comey’s request, which was first reported by the New York Times, sharpens the questions about whether his firing as FBI director on Tuesday was intended to quash the investigation.”

Prosecutors issued grand jury subpoenas for records related to Michael Flynn: “Federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas to associates of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn seeking business records, as part of the ongoing probe of Russian meddling in last year’s election, according to people familiar with the matter. CNN learned of the subpoenas hours before President Donald Trump fired FBI director James Comey.  The subpoenas represent the first sign of a significant escalation of activity in the FBI’s broader investigation begun last July into possible ties between Trump campaign associates and Russia.”

QUICK CLIP: Cramer defends gutting coverage for pre-existing conditions

Congressman Cramer was forced to try and defend the Republican health care bill on national TV, falsely claiming it will protect North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions. At best, he doesn’t know the details of the bill and, at worst, he is knowingly misleading his constituents. Watch the full interview here.

A sampling of what the experts say:

Associated Press: GOP health plan for pre-existing conditions spawns worries

Washington Post: Betrayal, carelessness, hypocrisy: The GOP health-care bill has it all

Washington Post: Republicans just hatched a last-ditch strategy to destroy Obamacare. It’s a total scam.

The Hill: Experts: New GOP funding for health bill not nearly enough.

Consumers Union: Upton Amendment to AHCA a ‘Drop in the Bucket’ That Does Nothing to Fix Fundamental Flaws.

Slate: Moderate Republicans Just Struck a Really Cynical Deal to Support Trumpcare.

CNN: Here’s a (partial) list of all the pre-existing conditions the GOP bill may not cover

CNN Money: This bill could leave millions uninsured

Associated Press: Americans with severe illness anxious over GOP health plan

And be sure to read Dem-NPL Executive Director Robert Haider’s Medium post on Cramer’s claims that people with pre-existing conditions are trying to “game” and “abuse” the system.