Congressman Cleaver Releases Statement Regarding the President's Health Care Executive Order

Statement

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II released the following statement today regarding President Donald Trump's signed executive order on health care.

"Instead of working with Congress to determine what's best for Americans and their health care, the President has decided to force his political agenda on the American people. There is a reason why the GOP effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has failed time and time again. The President wants to blame Democrats but the truth is, the proposed health care changes will hurt millions, regardless of their party affiliation. These changes are designed to allow loopholes around ACA core requirements, such as the coverage of essential health benefits.

Associations that band together to buy insurance will be exempt from having to cover certain prescription drug benefits, maternity care, or mental health services. The executive order will allow insurance companies to offer skimpy, short-term plans that don't actually provide good coverage. This will attract the young and healthy customers at the expense of older or sicker individuals and their families, and will destabilize the insurance markets. The American people have spoken -- more than once -- and they want Congress to work together to find ways to improve upon the ACA, not continue to roll back patient protections."

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