(TRENTON) – Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D- Camden, Burlington) issued the following statement on the passage of the American Health Care Act (ACHA):
“I am appalled by the House Republican’s vote on the American Health Care Act. By repealing protections that were put in place by the 2010 Affordable Care Act, nearly 509,000 New Jerseyans would be left without insurance. This plan would do nothing to make healthcare more affordable for women and families who have seen costs drop thanks to the Affordable Care Act. The effect would be quite the opposite, with sweeping premium hikes for our working families.
“Women would be among the hardest hit by these reforms. Under this plan, women would see increases to their health costs, from higher premiums on women of childbearing age to price hikes on elderly women, who are statistically more likely to live in poverty than their male counterpart.
“Among the most dangerous and destructive elements of this bill is the freeze on Medicaid expansion. By denying coverage to those who need it the most, working women and men will be forced to make the hard choice between keeping the lights on and paying for their family’s medical needs.
“If this legislation is signed into law, healthcare costs will skyrocket for residents throughout our state. I urge the Senate to weigh any potential cost savings that this bill may have against the well-being of their constituents and vote no.”