Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross joined North Carolinians and slammed DC insider Michael Whatley for backing Washington Republicans shutting down the government instead of fixing the health care crisis they created.
Because of Republicans’ refusal to stop health care costs from rising even more, 22 million Americans will see their health care premiums increase by double or more on average starting in January.
“We are on day six of a government shutdown because Republicans in Washington would rather shut down the government than fix the health care crisis that they created. This crisis is all thanks to Republicans who have repeatedly voted to spike health care costs – from gutting Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians, to putting rural hospitals at risk of closing, to increasing health care premiums,” said Congresswoman Deborah Ross. “If DC insider Michael Whatley were in the U.S. Senate, he would be an automatic vote for raising health care costs. He has sided with Washington Republicans, cheering on this crisis and opposing the bill that would open government and lower health care premiums.”
“If Washington Republicans let the tax credits expire, I’ll have to pay nearly a thousand dollars every month for care. And they are so hellbent on letting those credits expire that they shut down the government over it,” said Lea Charlton, an ACA tax credit beneficiary. “Michael Whatley wants us to send him to the U.S. Senate but he fully supports shutting down the government instead of extending the ACA tax credits and lowering the cost of health care. Neither my health nor my pocketbook can afford Michael Whatley in the Senate.”
“Before the ACA tax credits, I saw people weigh the difficult decision of whether or not they could afford their health coverage. If these credits expire, we will once again see people choose to either go without health insurance or go bankrupt trying to afford higher premiums,” said Amy Stevens, an ACA navigator. “As someone who works every day helping North Carolinians navigate the marketplace and afford health care, I can’t overstate the urgent need for these tax credits to be extended. North Carolinians deserve affordable health care and deserve leaders who will deliver affordable health care.”
In addition to supporting Washington Republicans’ government shutdown that will raise health care premiums starting in January, Whatley championed the toxic GOP budget that guts Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians and spikes energy bills, all to give billionaires a tax break. He called it a “huge win” and said he would have voted for it “in a heartbeat.”
A recording of the press call can be found here.
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