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ANA continues to oppose Senate health care bill

Nurse Leader Insider, June 29, 2017

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The American Nurses Association (ANA) weighed in last week on the potential cuts to Medicaid and Essential Health Benefits in the proposed Senate bill.

In a press conference on June 22, ANA President Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN outlined the harmful effects of eliminating the Essential Health Benefits used by millions in the U.S. The draft health care proposal from Senate GOP would make drastic cuts to Medicaid and increase the number of uninsured Americans by 22 million, according to the most recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate.

“In addition to eliminating the (essential health) benefits, the Senate Republican draft health care bill’s changes to Medicaid would be disastrous for our nation’s most vulnerable,” Cipriano said. “Medicaid is the safety net for tens of millions of children, as well as the poor and disabled. We’re nurses, and we’re here because we are very worried about our patients. We won’t stop fighting for them. We can do better and Americans truly deserve a better plan.”

The ANA has consistently spoke out against cuts to health care and Medicaid, voicing strong opposition to the American Health Care Act passed by the House of Representatives in May. ANA members, area nurses, and nursing students also participated in an “Emergency White Coat Fly-in,” and hopes to meet with Republican senators from key states that would be hurt the most by this bill and persuade them to protect health care.

Find more information on the ANA’s official website.

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