[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 169 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               HEALTHCARE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Now, on another matter--healthcare--yesterday, 50 of my 
Republican colleagues voted against ensuring protections for people 
with preexisting conditions--people with asthma and cancer, people with 
diabetes and all kinds of gynecological problems. Republican Senators 
sided with the Trump administration to expand the ability of insurance 
companies to sell cutrate, junk insurance to Americans--to dupe 
Americans. These plans will destabilize the healthcare market and raise 
the cost of insurance for people with preexisting conditions who may 
end up being priced out of insurance altogether.
  Let me say that again. Republicans yesterday voted to let insurance 
companies offer junk insurance plans that don't cover essential health 
benefits, allowing them to nickel-and-dime patients out of the medical 
care they deserve.
  Our constituents--Democrats, Republicans, north, west, east, and 
south--say they want better healthcare at a lower cost, and what do 
Republicans do? They offer worse healthcare coverage at a higher cost, 
ultimately, to people, because the plans don't cover anything and then 
you have to pay out of your pocket.
  What did they do it in the name of? Freedom. Freedom. This is like 
the 1890s. Who is going to have freedom? The insurance companies, the 
big shots. Who is going to have no freedom from illness and disease? 
Average folks. It is terrible thinking, once again siding with big, 
powerful special interests, not the average person.
  The only people who want these junk insurance plans are two groups--
the insurance companies and the rightwing ideologues who believe the 
government shouldn't be in healthcare at all. They want to cut 
Medicare. They want to cut Medicaid. They want to cut Social Security. 
That is who it is.
  So let us remember that the junk insurance plans are hardly worth the 
paper they are printed on. They lure consumers in with low premiums, 
but the deductibles are so high, the copays are so high, and the 
coverage so skimpy that the plans hardly offer any benefit to the 
consumer at all.
  While every Republican save one voted to hand the keys to the 
insurance companies, every single Democrat--every single Democrat--
stood up to the sabotage from the Trump administration and voted to not 
allow the expansion of junk insurance across America.
  I warn my colleagues that these are the kinds of issues that voters 
remember come election time. Healthcare is the No. 1 issue in America 
to the broad majority of voters. The American people will head to the 
polls in November and ask themselves: Which party will defend the 
people's right to quality healthcare? Which party will not?
  The answer to that question could not be clearer. Democrats have 
spent the past 2 years offering several plans to reduce the cost of 
healthcare while maintaining or increasing the quality, while President 
Trump and Republicans in Congress have done nothing but drive costs up 
and quality down in obeisance to the big special interests--the 
insurance industry.
  They have tried to repeal the healthcare law. They have tried to gut 
Medicaid, eliminate healthcare for millions of Americans, and put the 
insurers back in charge. They have eliminated the program to help low- 
and middle-income Americans afford insurance and, worst of all, 
Republican attorneys general--including two running for the Senate, one 
in Missouri and one in West Virginia--are suing, as we speak, to 
eliminate protections for Americans with preexisting conditions.
  These actions are undergirded by a belief on the other side of the 
aisle that the American people just don't deserve help affording 
adequate healthcare. Republicans have believed, continue to believe, 
and have acted on, unfortunately, that insurance companies should rule 
the roost, just as in the 1890s. The consequences are severe.
  As a result of the Republican healthcare agenda, premiums are up by 
double digits in several States and quality is down. As a result of the 
Republican healthcare agenda, Americans are paying more and getting 
less.
  I say to the American people that in a few short weeks you will have 
a choice. You can vote for 2 more years of healthcare sabotage from a 
Republican Congress, more attempts at repealing the healthcare law, 
more premium increases and uncertainty, more actions that undermine 
protections for patients with preexisting conditions or the American 
people can vote to flip the script and support Democratic candidates 
who will not only protect the care that Americans have today but who 
will work every single day to make it better.
  I yield the floor.

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