Hickenlooper Slams Republicans' Budget Bill, Announces New Legislation to Repeal Health Care Cuts

U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper expressed outrage on the Senate floor as he called out Republicans' disastrous budget bill that slashes more than $1 trillion in funding for Medicaid and health care services. Hickenlooper joined his Democratic colleagues in introducing two new bills to repeal the health care cuts and protect rural hospitals, seniors' nursing care.

Key Takeaways:

• The Republicans' budget bill cuts more than $1 trillion in Medicaid funding and fails to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, leading to an estimated 15 million people losing their health benefits.
• The bill disproportionately affects rural hospitals, with the Sunrise Monfort Community Health Clinic in Evans, Colorado, at risk of forcing between 7,000-14,000 patients off of health care.
• Hickenlooper introduced two new bills, the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act and the Restoring Essential Health Care Act, to repeal the Republicans' health care cuts and protect health care for millions of Americans.
• The Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act would prevent millions of Americans from losing their health care and rural health clinics from closure, while the Restoring Essential Health Care Act would repeal the provision in the Republicans' bill that defunds Planned Parenthood.
• Republicans' budget bill is expected to increase prices for Coloradans, lead to a $4 trillion deficit, and hand out tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans.

Statistics:

• 15 million Americans are estimated to lose their health care under the Republicans' budget bill.
• 241,000 of those affected live in Colorado.
• 50% of patients at the Sunrise Monfort Community Health Clinic in Evans, Colorado, are enrolled in either Medicaid or Medicare.
• The clinic estimates that cuts in Medicaid will force between 7,000-14,000 patients off of health care.
• The Republicans' budget bill is projected to increase the national debt by $4 trillion.

Sources:

• United States Senator John Hickenlooper
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