Wyden Slams GOP Health Care Plan

Wyden Slams GOP Health Care Plan

Top Finance Democrat Calls Out Republican Health Plan That Will Include a Backdoor National Abortion Ban and Leave Americans Saddled with Huge Medical Debt

I come to the floor today to discuss several recent floor developments. Yesterday, Senate Republicans started talking about big insurance companies and women's health care.

I've heard a lot of talk from Republicans about how the Affordable Care Act is just one big giveaway to big insurance companies. I'd ask any Republican who accuses Democrats of bailing out insurance companies to talk to a small business owner in their state who fears that if they don't have the tax credit next year they won't be able to keep their doors open and run their business, and pay for health care.

If Republicans are serious about cracking down on price-gouging by health insurance companies and CEOs who want a big payday, I welcome them to the fight.

I've been at it for years. I wrote the first tough law on the books to stop the rip offs of seniors who often had ten or fifteen policies that weren't worth the paper they're written on.

But I can say that since a handful of Republicans joined me in 2008 to crack down on the abuses of insurance companies, the Republicans willing to go after big insurance have been few and far between.

I will work with any Republican that wants to get at profit-hungry crooks out of the business of jacking up costs and denying care. But that shouldn't come at the cost of kicking millions off of their health care in January.

Democrats want to bring down costs for families. It's that simple. I'm not here on behalf of UnitedHealth Group, I'm here on behalf of Carla and Bartley of Eugene, who are looking at a 500 percent increase in their premiums.

Next, Republicans said they might vote to lower Americans' health care costs, but only if we agree to include a backdoor national abortion ban.

M. President: as always, Republicans are spinning a tale that the government is funding abortion. It's not. Here's the reality: the Affordable Care Act already prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars for this care. Zero federal dollars pay for this care in ACA plans.

What Republicans are talking about putting on the table amounts to nothing short of a backdoor national abortion ban.

Instead of working with Democrats to fix the health care crisis they created, Republicans now want to hold women's health care hostage and force their radical agenda on the American people.

I have one thing to say to that: not on my watch.

Under this plan, Republicans could weaponize federal funding for any organization that does anything related to women's reproductive health care. They could also weaponize the tax code by revoking non-profit status for these organizations.

Republicans have already demonstrated they are willing to weaponize the law to deny women basic health care: Trump defunded Planned Parenthood in his horrible budget bill. The possibilities are endless, but the results are the same: a complete and total restriction on abortion, courtesy of Republicans. They've been laying the groundwork for decades and now they're pulling out all the stops.

The Budget Chairman is already talking about another reconciliation bill in this session, so this is a real and present danger.

Trump said he'd leave abortion care up to the states. Well, this latest scheme makes it crystal clear: a de facto nationwide abortion ban has been his plan all along.

Since Roe was overturned, women are being denied life-saving medical care. Doctors are fleeing states where they fear persecution.

Democrats were told for years by Republicans that they were blowing these scenarios way out of proportion - that we were "fearmongering." Instead, unfortunately, it's all coming true.

Democrats must dismiss this radical Trojan horse against women's essential health care out of hand.

Watch a video of Wyden deliver his remarks here

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