Phillips: “What is our President thinking?”
WASHINGTON, DC – This morning, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) spoke on the House Floor to criticize efforts to dismantle the ACA and urge the President and GOP to join efforts to lower premiums and costs.
Last week, House Democrats introduced a bill led by Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02) and co-sponsored by Rep. Phillips, which would lower health care premiums by providing funding to states to establish reinsurance programs or provide financial assistance to individuals enrolled in qualified health plans.
Rep. Phillips is also a co-sponsor of the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act of 2019, which would lower prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate prices directly with pharmaceutical companies and authorize generic competition when negotiations fail.
Click here to view Rep. Phillips’s remarks
Below are Rep. Phillips’ remarks as prepared:
Madam Speaker – while traveling recently through my home state of Minnesota, I met a wonderful couple in their early 60’s.
They were both teachers who had dedicated their professional lives to enriching our community by educating our children.
They had done everything right, saved as much money as they could – and it was time to retire.
Until the husband was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. Now, the out-of-pocket costs for his care will wipe out all of their retirement savings – all of their savings.
So, Madam Speaker – what is our President thinking?
This is an all too common story played out in blue and red districts throughout our country, and yet we have a White House determined to wipe out the Affordable Care Act.
It is callous, it is wrong, and it is unacceptable.
It’s time for us to make the moral decision to ensure all Americans have access to affordable, high quality healthcare – no matter their circumstances.
That’s why we just introduced a bill in the House, led by my Minnesota colleague Angie Craig, to reduce premiums and lower health care costs.
And that’s why I’m a co-sponsor of Congressman Doggett’s bill to make prescription drugs more affordable.
There is hard work to be done to make our health care system work for all Americans – and we’re doing it in the House.
So, President Trump and my Republican colleagues: It is not too late to abandon this misguided effort to dismantle the ACA, and join us to work on real solutions.
That is, after all, what we were sent to Washington to do.