On Wednesday, Senate Democrats forced a vote to roll back the Trump administration’s promotion of junk insurance plans that don’t protect people with pre-existing conditions. Unsurprisingly, Senate Republicans blocked the bill’s passage, and in doing so, made clear they side with insurance companies over the wellbeing of their constituents with pre-existing conditions.
In response, Protect Our Care held events in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa and North Carolina to hold Republican Senators Martha McSally, Cory Gardner, Joni Ernst, Chuck Grassley and Thom Tillis accountable for failing to support the 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions.
Here’s a brief roundup of Protect Our Care’s Senate Accountability events:
ARIZONA
Visit to Senator McSally’s Phoenix Office Condemning Her Vote Against Pre-Existing Conditions
Protect Our Care Arizona joined Pat Thomas, an Arizonan with a pre-existing condition, and health care advocates on Thursday to condemn Senator McSally’s ‘no’ vote and failure to protect the health care of Arizonans with pre-existing conditions. Thomas criticized her Senator for prioritizing special interests over those of Arizonans. You can view the post-event release here.
COLORADO
Visit to Senator Gardner’s Denver Office Condemning His Vote Against Pre-Existing Conditions
Protect Our Care Colorado was joined by Adela Flores-Brennan of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiatives, Laura Packard, a health care activist and cancer survivor, and Dana Miller of Indivisible Front Range Resistance on Thursday to condemn Senator Cory Gardner’s ‘no’ vote and failure to protect the health care of Coloradans with pre-existing conditions. Following the vote, Senator Gardner released a statement mischaracterizing his vote, and attempting to hide behind the 1332 waivers which allowed Colorado to add a reinsurance program. However, the Warner/Shaheen resolution would not have eliminated 1332 reinsurance plans. Instead, it would have precluded the existing regulation that expands the use of the 1332 waivers to make short-term limited duration (STLD) plans more available and affordable and would not have resulted in the elimination of Colorado’s reinsurance plan. View the post-event release here.
Colorado Times Recorder: Gardner Falsely Claims His Vote Protects People With Pre-existing Conditions
IOWA
Rally Outside Sen. Ernst’s and Grassley’s Des Moines Offices
After the Senate held a vote on the Protect Pre-Existing Conditions Resolution, Iowans rallied together on Thursday to condemn Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley for voting ‘no’ and failing to protect the health care of Iowans with pre-existing conditions. Iowans gathered outside the Senators’ offices in Des Moines, and constituents delivered hundreds of signatures on a petition condemning the vote. You can view the post-event release here.
Rally Outside Sen. Ernst’s and Grassley’s Cedar Rapids Offices
Iowans showed up outside both Senator Ernst’s and Grassely’s offices in cedar rapids after the CRA vote to express their disagreement with the senators’ votes. Attendees also delivered the petition and talked with Senate staff about their disappointment with the way the senators voted. You can view the post-event release here.
Rally Outside Sen. Ernst’s and Grassley’s Waterloo Offices
In Waterloo, Iowans showed at their senators’ offices with a copy of the petition to emphasize their disagreement on the votes. They demanded that Ernst and Grassley stand up and protect their care in the future. You can view the post-event release here.
Iowa Starting Line: Iowans Protest Ernst, Grassley’s Votes for Junk Insurance Plans
Iowa Labor News: Iowans Hold Ernst, Grassley Accountable for Pre-Existing Conditions VoteErnst and Grassley’s Vote Will Harm Iowans With Pre-Existing Conditions
Iowa Labor News: Stop Ernst & Grassley’s spooky Halloween vote
NORTH CAROLINA
Press Call with Health Care Advocates to Condemn Senator Tillis’ Vote Against North Carolinians with Pre-Existing Conditions
Protect Our Care North Carolina was joined by Brad Woodhouse, the Executive Director of Protect Our Care, Stacy Staggs of Little Lobbisysts, and Kara Konrad, a North Carolinaian with a pre-existing condition on a press call Thursday to condemn Senator Tillis’ ‘no’ vote and failure to protect the health care of North Carolinians with pre-existing conditions. Stacy Staggs and Kara Konrad, North Carolinians who rely on these protections to access health care and provide care to their families, blasted Senator Tillis for failing them with this vote. View the post-event release here, and listen to the call audio here.