Following is the statement of SEIU Healthcare Illinois President Greg Kelley following the House vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act:
“The repeal of the Affordable Care Act represents a costly and deadly disaster for Illinois, especially the nearly 3 million who receive care through Medicaid, including half of all our children.
“The replacement legislation is entirely insufficient to meet the healthcare needs of seniors, children and people with disabilities, not to mention those Illinoisans with a pre-existing condition whose lives are now in the hands of greedy insurance executives.
“The new provisions to allow states like Illinois to waive Medicaid requirements will IMMEDIATELY place whole classes of people at risk and will erode the system of care in Illinois.
“Meriting special notice are Republicans such as Reps. Peter Roskam, Mike Bost, Rodney Davis, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger and others who made representations to their constituents that they would protect health care for Illinois and instead sided with corporations and the super wealthy. Likewise, Gov. Bruce Rauner, who himself has made millions via Medicaid and Medicare dollars over the years, failed to speak out against this shameful vote.
“Whether it’s their blind contempt for former President Obama or their belief that money should predict health, Republicans today showed Illinois that their priorities are sick.”