On Wednesday, Steve Pearce’s silence on the latest version of Trumpcare became all the more deafening when a new report showed the bill would kick 230,000 New Mexicans off of their health insurance. Even as his constituents have called on him to speak out against Graham-Cassidy, Pearce has remained silent — failing to oppose a bill that would wreck havoc on New Mexicans’ healthcare and economy.
The Graham-Cassidy bill is the worst version of Trumpcare yet. The bill would kick 230,000 New Mexicans off of their health insurance and rob the state of $3.4 billion in federal funding over the next ten years. It ends Medicaid as we know it, guts protections for people with preexisting conditions, paves the way for an age tax on the elderly, and defunds Planned Parenthood. The American Medical Association, AARP, The American Heart Association, and 35 anti-cancer advocacy groups all oppose the bill.
In May, Pearce voted for the American Health Care Act, which would have kicked 23 million Americans off their insurance in order to cut taxes on the rich.
American Bridge Spokesperson Lizzy Price made the following statement:
“Yet again, Steve Pearce has turned his back on New Mexican families whose healthcare and economic security are at risk. Pearce’s campaign for governor has barely begun, but he’s already made clear the people of New Mexico cannot trust him to stand up for their interests.”
Op-Ed On Cassidy-Heller: Pearce “Has Been Silent, But If He Wants To Be Our Governor, I Would Hope He Would Speak Against A Bill That Would Cost New Mexico More Than $1 Billion And Take Health Care From Thousands.”
According to an op-ed by Wendy Johnson in the Santa Fe New Mexican, “The Republicans are once again trying to raise from the grave their deadly bill to destroy our health care system. This most recent patched-together effort, […] would end Medicaid as we know it and repeal the Affordable Care Act. In its place, the senators propose giving block grants to the states with no requirements about how or for whom the money would be used. And by 2026, even those block grants would disappear. By 2027, we’d be in much worse shape than before the ACA was implemented. Most states would lose money immediately or in the long run, especially blue states such as New Mexico, which stands to lose $1.3 billion. Without subsidies and the insurance mandate, premiums would skyrocket. […] Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., has been silent, but if he wants to be our governor, I would hope he would speak against a bill that would cost New Mexico more than $1 billion and take health care from thousands.” [Santa Fe New Mexican, 9/18/17]
Published: Sep 20, 2017