November 3, 2017
Washington, D.C. – Today Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District released the following statement after House Republicans passed H.R. 3922, legislation to cut the Prevention and Public Health Fund and attack the Affordable Care Act in order to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
The partisan, ideological bill cuts $6.35 billion from the Prevention and Public health fund which was created by the ACA to provide access to preventive health services like cancer screenings, childhood vaccines, and wellness programs. Nevada will lose $1.7 million next year if the bill becomes law.
The proposal limits the grace period for missed ACA health care plan premium payments from 90 days to 30 days – a move that will kick 688,000 people off their insurance plans.
Republicans killed a motion offered by Democrats to fix this dangerous bill by reauthorizing the spending for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Community Health Centers, and other public health programs without having to sabotage the ACA and kick people off their insurance plans.
“This Republican measure is not a bill to reauthorize CHIP. It is a bill that attacks the ACA by gutting funding and taking away health insurance,” Rep. Titus said. “This misguided bill steals $1.7 million from Nevada next year and kicks 688,000 people off their insurance plans. It takes vaccinations away from children, eliminates cancer screenings, rolls back services for opioid addiction, and eradicates other outreach efforts. When I was a State Senator I introduced the bill to create CHIP in Nevada and during my time in Congress I have advocated for fully funding the program without having to pit children against their families. Republicans need to start worrying about how we improve our nation’s health care system and stop worrying about pushing Trump’s anti-health agenda through Congress.”