NLIRH CONDEMNS SENATE FOR DENYING HEALTHCARE TO THE NATION

Washington, D.C. —  Today the Senate voted to move forward with the process to repeal the Affordable Care Act. which is a direct attack against Latinxs, low-income people, and communities of color who depend on the level of care, coverage, and consumer protections that the ACA provides. Ann Marie Benitez, senior director of government relations for NLIRH, issued the following statement:

“NLIRH is appalled by the Senate’s decision to open debate on the repeal of the ACA repeal . Our communities depend on the ACA, and without it our access to essential healthcare is at risk. Thanks to the ACA, Latinxs have seen the largest reduction in  uninsured rates than any other group. Among non-elderly Latinxs, the uninsured rate declined 35 percent between 2010 and 2015. In states that expanded Medicaid, the uninsured rate dropped by 43 percent. There is no denying that the ACA has led to historic gains for individuals and families across the nation. Yet, conservative lawmakers are hellbent on denying critical and affordable healthcare to the communities they pretend to serve.

“Without the protections afforded by the ACA, already existing health disparities for women of color and their families could be further exacerbated. By moving  the ACA repeal forward, the Senate knowingly voted in favor of limiting — and in some cases outright denying — their constituents critical and affordable healthcare. The fight is not over. Put pressure on your representatives and urge them to stop playing political games with our access to critical and affordable healthcare. NLIRH will continue to fight against all attempts to cut off our communities from the care they need. We will never stop in our fierce defense of our rights to health, dignity, and justice.”

For more information on NLIRH’s fight for health, dignity and justice, visit us at latinainstitute.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @NLIRH.

###

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health is the only national reproductive justice organization dedicated to building Latina power to advance health, dignity, and justice for 28 million Latinas, their families, and communities in the United States through leadership development, community mobilization, policy advocacy, and strategic communications.