Cities Cannot Afford Health Care Bill, Urge Senate to Vote No

WASHINGTON — May 4, 2017 — This afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a repeal and replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). While the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has yet to analyze and score it, the bill is expected to increase the number of uninsured Americans, remove key protections and ultimately shift financial burdens of uncompensated care onto states and local governments. In response to today’s action, National League of Cities President Matt Zone, councilmember, Cleveland, released the following statement:

“Congress cannot promise to fix the American health care system and stick the bill on local governments. By threatening Medicaid funding, withdrawing services for drug addiction and mental health during the nation’s deadliest drug epidemic, and reducing funding for preventative medicine and wellness programs, today’s health care bill threatens to leave millions of Americans uninsured.

“When the federal government pulls back on its commitment to health care, local governments, states and health care providers are left to pay the bills of increasing rates of unreimbursed care.

“Local governments simply cannot afford this health care bill. We urge the Senate to stand with cities and American families and scrap this flawed piece of legislation. The National League of Cities calls on senators to fight for a health care bill that protects and promotes healthy communities without passing the financial burden onto local governments.”