Republicans Advocated for HCA. How is that Working out in WNC?
“The refusal of Republican legislators to expand Medicaid in North Carolina continues to render our state more and more of an outlier — even amongst states controlled by GOP legislatures. The national momentum to expand Medicaid continues to pick up steam and the stubborn obstructionism of Republican lawmakers in the shrinking minority of states that includes North Carolina is ….” http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?s=medicaid+expansion#sthash.qH3hnRUw.dpbs
Chuck Edwards claims "it’s a laudable goal to ensure that everyone has health insurance" yet he vehemently opposes closing the coverage gap. His decision leaves billions of dollars of eligible federal funding on the table. This is money that North Carolina citizens pay in federal taxes. Because of legislators like Chuck Edwards and Jake Johnson who opposed closing the coverage gap through the expansion of Medicaid that money will never return to North Carolina to support the healthcare costs of its citizens.
Madison Cawthorn wants to turn patients into shoppers. Imagine someone suffering a stroke, a heart attack or appendicitis; do you really think they are up for shopping? Privatizing is Republicans' answer for everything; then they are against basic standards to protect the patients’ health. Just look at the impact HCA’s privatization is having in Transylvania County.
Richard Burr is no friend to working families in need of affordable, quality healthcare in NC; as a Senator he consistently voted for healthcare profits over the people; all while profiting from his decisions as a public servant. https://www.propublica.org/article/sen-richard-burr-is-not-just-a-friend-to-the-health-care-industry-hes-also-a-stockholder
As a senator Thom Tillis Voted to Repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Seven Times; he has demonstrated with action after action that he is no advocate for working families in need of affordable and quality healthcare either. https://cardinalpine.com/story/thom-tillis-voted-to-repeal-the-aca-seven-times-he-has-to-go-healthcare-advocates-say/
Back in 2013, then-Speaker of the North Carolina House Thom Tillis passed a law making it illegal for the governor to close the coverage gap for working families. He then ran ads touting his position and boasting that he “stopped Obama’s Medicaid expansion cold. It’s not happening in North Carolina, and it’s because of Thom Tillis.” https://www.ncdp.org/press/tillis-says-hell-remember-who-needs-help-the-most-but-his-record-blocking-medicaid-expansion-shows-otherwise/
The following joint statement was released by Senator Kevin Corbin, Senator Julie Mayfield, and Representative Brian Turner:
“… Western North Carolina individuals, doctors, and businesses have reported experiencing since HCA purchased Mission Health: higher costs, downgraded quality of care, and reduced access to health care, especially in rural areas. HCA’s practices are particularly troubling because they acquired a non-profit hospital with a regulated monopoly in Asheville, leaving no realistic alternatives for many types of care in the region. HCA promised to maintain quality of care in the Mission Health purchase agreement, and it is time for them to fulfill that promise by competing fairly and focusing on patients.” https://wlos.com/news/local/group-of-nc-residents-file-antitrust-lawsuit-against-hca-healthcare
Republicans are against closing the coverage gap in North Carolina. They have been denying healthcare to working people right here in Transylvania County since 2010.
Republicans are against the Affordable Care Act! Senator’s Thom Tillis and Richard Burr, former congressperson Mark Meadows voted to sabotage healthcare for 2000 working people in our county. Madison Cawthorn continues to deny healthcare to those same working people right here in Transylvania County.
Republicans cut taxes for big business and the wealthy but denied healthcare for working people. Their policies have caused rural hospitals like ours to cut services (our birthing center closed in Feb 2015). Across North Carolina, 7 rural hospitals have closed completely.
