[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 4296]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                WHAT WILL AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT MEAN?

  (Mr. RUIZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RUIZ. Mr. Speaker, the American Health Care Act, known as 
TrumpCare, will cause 24 million more people to go without health 
insurance over the next decade.
  As an emergency physician, I know that everyone, even healthy young 
people, are vulnerable to car accidents or diseases that require 
critical care. Whether they have insurance or not, people get sick and 
get injured.
  I have never treated a patient who said they were uninsured because 
they preferred to be uninsured. They simply couldn't afford it.
  So what does 24 million more uninsured people mean?
  It means more pain, suffering, and shorter life spans for people who 
go without care.
  It means more ER visits and a longer wait to see a doctor in the 
emergency rooms for everyone.
  It means financial ruin for young families or those ready to retire.
  It means that hospitals and providers might lay off workers or even 
go out of business due to rising uncompensated care. It means they will 
charge more to make ends meet, which will raise premiums and out-of-
pocket costs for everyone. Everyone will have to pay more.
  I urge everyone to vote ``no.''

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