Christians to Congress & President-elect Trump:
“In the Gospel story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus challenges us to reach out and care for the vulnerable, respond to the needs of the victim, and bind up their wounds...
Please commit to uphold Christian values and don’t take health care from millions of Americans by supporting the risky effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement.
We see millions of people who may be harmed by repeal without a replacement because they are currently experiencing the benefits of recent health reforms:
- Children with pre-existing conditions who can no longer be excluded from coverage on their parents’ health insurance
- Young adults who now have coverage on their parents’ policies
- Senior adults who have received rebates for prescription drugs that had to be purchased once they reached the coverage gap; and senior adults who are now receiving annual preventive care check-ups with no out-of-pocket expenses
- Women who can no longer be charged higher premiums because of their gender, and who are receiving mammograms and pap smears with no out of pocket expenses.
- Low-income working families who have access to health care in states that have expanded Medicaid
- People with cancer and other serious medical conditions who will no longer be denied coverage by insurers; and persons who can no longer be dropped from coverage when they get sick
- Middle-income families without employer-sponsored insurance who will have subsidies to help purchase affordable insurance in the new exchanges (marketplaces)
For people in our communities, politics is far less important than the life or death matter of access to affordable healthcare. As Christians we urge you to oppose repeal of the Affordable Care Act without a replacement that creates a health care system that is inclusive, affordable, accessible, and accountable.
Repealing the ACA without a replacement plan would not bring us closer to our Christian values, but would instead endanger the health and life of millions of American people.
We urge you to first provide a replacement plan that would protect coverage and dignity before you vote to repeal a program they count on. Politics should not come before the needs of the truly vulnerable in our nation.
Affordable health care for all is a moral obligation.
Please don’t take health care from millions of Americans by supporting the risky effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement."