“Care Force One” Stops in Cincinnati on National Bus Tour
(Cincinnati, Ohio) – Today, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley joined health care providers and Ohioans with pre-existing conditions at City Hall in Cincinnati to speak out against the devastating repercussions of health care repeal.
The event was part of Protect Our Care’s nationwide bus tour calling attention to Republicans’ attempts to sabotage health care, including a lawsuit that would gut protections for Ohioans with pre-existing conditions.
The 4,830,900 Ohioans living with a pre-existing condition would be in jeopardy if a judge sides with President Trump and the GOP in their lawsuit.
Mayor John Cranley kicked off the event, saying, “We all have somebody in our families with a pre-existing condition. This isn’t a partisan issue; it’s an American issue.”
Mayor Cranley was joined by Dr. William Sawyer, as well as Steph Barnard and Laura Packard, who have pre-existing conditions and talked about the protections provided to them under the Affordable Care Act.
“When the Health insurance companies, under the old rules, could deny care payment,” said Dr. William Sawyer of Doctors for America. “The young people of America are going to be the victims of this system if you don’t get involved and say, ‘we want access to affordable care.’”
Steph Barnard, an Ohioan with a pre-existing condition, said, “For our friends and family members with pre-existing conditions, the ACA is literally a matter of life and death. We all stand to lose a lot if protections like these are repealed. That’s why we’re fighting here today.”
“I am still here today thanks to the Affordable Care Act,” cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard said. “But I need to keep my health care, as do 130 million with pre-existing conditions. That’s why we’re here – to hold our elected officials accountable for their votes to take away our care.”
“The stakes have never been higher for Ohioans’ health care,” said TJ Helmstetter of Protect Our Care. “Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, 664,000 Ohioans have gained health insurance. This is all in jeopardy due to Republicans’ repeal and sabotage agenda, including their ludicrous lawsuit and Rep. David Joyce’s mission to repeal health care. Mainers want this Republican war on health care to end, plain and simple. That’s why we’re here today.”
You can watch the event here. The bus now travels to Indianapolis. More details about upcoming stops can be found here.