Richmond, VA—As we enter week three of the federal government shutdown, the Senate has gaveled into session every morning to vote on two bills: the measure passed by the House to fund the government until November 21, and a second measure, offered by Democrats, to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits and restoring nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid. In the absence of any meaningful negotiation, every morning, both measures fail, leaving the Senate in a stalemate; the House remains in recess, in part to avoid seating a newly elected colleague. Despite the political gamesmanship in Congress, the health care cuts that Congressional Democrats are pushing back against would have a direct and significant impact on communities across Virginia.
“With Congress at a standstill, families in our community are left wondering if they’ll be able to afford a doctor’s visit next month,” said Ashleigh Crocker, Interim Executive Director at Progress Virginia. “Republicans are playing political games that mean parents are skipping checkups, hospitals are closing their doors, and families are forced to choose between medicine and groceries. It’s past time for Republicans to stop playing politics, put people first, and reopen the government before even more families get hurt.”
In Virginia, there is no Congressional district where less than 23% of the population is not directly impacted by the healthcare cuts that are at issue in the shutdown. In Roanoke, represented in Congress by Republican Ben Cline, 34.14% of the district relies on Medicaid, CHIP, or an Affordable Care Act plan; the monthly premium for a Roanoke County couple in their 60s with an income of $84,700 would go up by $1,076 if the ACA tax credits expire. In Chesterfield, represented in Congress by Jennifer McClellan, 48.31% of the district relies on one of the contested health care programs, and a 45-year-old ACA user making $46,950 would see their monthly premium go up by $155. There is also no Congressional district in Virginia where Medicaid cuts are popular: at least 90% of voters in even the deepest-red districts oppose cutting Medicaid.
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