Obama Speaks out Against Proposed Senate GOP Health Care Bill

Former President Barack Obama lashed out in a Facebook post on Thursday against the proposed Senate GOP health care bill that will undo former policies put into place by the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.

“I recognize that repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act has become a core tenet of the Republican Party,” Obama said. “Still, I hope that our Senators, many of whom I know well, step back and measure what’s really at stake, and consider that the rationale for action, on health care or any other issue, must be something more than simply undoing something that Democrats did.”

He emphasized on the notion that the Affordable Care Act was put in place in order to “save” the lives of individuals, while benefiting the country as a whole.

“We didn’t fight for the Affordable Care Act for more than a year in the public square for any personal or political gain – we fought for it because we knew it would save lives, prevent financial misery, and ultimately set this country we love on a better, healthier course,” he said.

The new bill proposed by the GOP Thursday would repeal Obamacare’s individual mandate, severely cut down on federal support of Medicaid and remove Obamacare’s taxes on the wealthy, insurers and more.

Senators will have a few days to process the 142-page bill before they come to the consensus to either support or vote against it.

In his statement, Obama said the newly unveiled bill “is not a health care bill.”

“It’s a massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America. It hands enormous tax cuts to the rich and to the drug and insurance industries, paid for by cutting health care for everybody else,” he said. “Those with private insurance will experience higher premiums and higher deductibles, with lower tax credits to help working families cover the costs, even as their plans might no longer cover pregnancy, mental health care, or expensive prescriptions. Discrimination based on pre-existing conditions could become the norm again. Millions of families will lose coverage entirely.”

President Donald Trump, however, feels entirely different about the bill.

“I am very supportive of the Senate #HealthcareBill,” he said on Twitter, just three hours after Obama shared his personal views on the matter. “Look forward to making it really special! Remember, ObamaCare is dead.”

Obama concluded his post by discussing the compromise between Democrats and Republicans that should be made as he believes “it would demonstrate the kind of leadership that appeals to Americans across party lines.”

“After all, this debate has always been about something bigger than politics. It’s about the character of our country – who we are, and who we aspire to be,” he said. “And that’s always worth fighting for.”

Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons