Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., along with U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and the Democratic members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, have renewed their request for Gov. Bruce Rauner to explain how the Congressional Republicans’ plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will affect Illinois families, schools and students, health care providers and the state’s economy.
Kelly, who represents Homewood and Flossmoor in Congress, said the members expressed concern that the Republican health care repeal bill — which passed the House without any hearings or analysis from the Congressional Budget Office — would reduce the availability of health insurance for more than a million Illinoisans.
The members wrote:
“There is no question that the American Health Care Act (AHCA) would be incredibly damaging to the state of Illinois. According to the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), which opposes the bill, Illinois would lose $40 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next 10 years.
Despite clear evidence that the AHCA would be devastating to Illinois, you have yet to forcibly denounce this legislation, answer questions regarding how it would impact Illinois at the state level or provide recommendations on policies you either support or oppose to improve care for residents of our state.”
According to IHA’s analysis, Illinois will lose $8.4 billion in economic activity every year, resulting in 60,000 lost jobs. While other Republican governors have spoken out against the disastrous impacts of the GOP bill, Rauner has been silent while the health of Illinois families hangs in the balance, Kelly said.
“TrumpCare will have a massive and negative impact on Illinois jobs and families. We need Gov. Rauner’s leadership, not his silence.
“This is simply too important of an issue for our governor to remain silent. It’s about the very health of Illinois families and jobs,” Kelly added.