Statement from Greg Vigdor, AzHHA President and CEO
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release │ July 18, 2017
Media Contact: Shayna Diamond │602-445-4327 │[email protected]
PHOENIX – The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association has issued the following statement regarding U.S. Senate leadership’s latest bid to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement plan:
“The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association has been consistent in our position that any repeal of the Affordable Care Act must be accompanied by an immediate replacement plan to ensure predictability for health care providers and continuity of coverage for Arizona families. That is why we are deeply troubled by a renewed push from the Trump administration and some in the U.S. Senate to repeal the federal health care law without readying something to take its place.
“Make no mistake: this shortsighted tact would immediately and painfully disrupt the healthcare system, potentially unraveling already-fragile insurance markets and panicking 32 million Americans faced with pending loss of coverage. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has previously examined the impacts of a repeal-only option, and found it would double premiums and increases the federal deficit by $137 billion over the next decade.
“We respectfully ask that Majority Leader McConnell and our elected representatives in Congress reconsider before going down this road. Yes, the Affordable Care Act has real problems. For months we have been calling on Congress to come up with real, responsible solutions that address these shortcomings and improve access, cost and choice in healthcare. This is not the way to do it.
“We echo the sentiments of Senator McCain, who is calling for Congress to ‘return to regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties, and heed the recommendations of our nation’s governors’ in drafting a health care proposal for the American people. It’s more important to get it done right than to get it done quickly.”
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About AzHHA
AzHHA is Arizona’s statewide association for those organizations and individuals devoted to collectively building better healthcare and health for the patients, people and communities of Arizona. Founded in 1939, AzHHA’s objective is to improve healthcare through Better Care, Better Health and Lower Costs with the ultimate goal of making Arizona the healthiest state in the nation. For more information, please contact [email protected] or call (602) 445-4300.