Senate GOP Rolled Back Healthcare for Women in Middle of the Night Session

[CousinIT]

GOP throws out birth control, pre-existing conditions, pre-natal care (pregnancy is pre-existing condition) from ACA

Late last night, the Senate voted to begin dismantling major parts of the Affordable Care Act. Democratic senators then introduced a series of amendments, most of which were designed to protect specific provisions of the ACA. Voting on the amendments lasted almost seven hours, but in the end Republicans struck down every single one, including an amendment to require insurance companies to cover the cost of contraceptives — leaving 55 million women without no-copay birth control.

According to Politico’s Dan Diamond, the Senate also voted against keeping a preexisting-conditions protection. Before the Affordable Care Act passed, many insurance companies considered pregnancy to be a preexisting condition. Now, thanks to last night’s vote, pregnant women will no longer be protected from increased premiums under Trumpcare.

The rollback is exactly what senators such as Kirsten Gillibrand feared when the Affordable Care Act first came under threat. “If my colleagues destroy the Affordable Care Act, it will have real, direct, and painful consequences for millions of American women and their families,” Gillibrand said during a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday. Gillibrand’s amendment, which sought to preserve still more protections for women under the ACA, was voted down.

As New York’s Ed Kilgore pointed out, GOP Senators also declined to protect Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and rural hospitals. Democrats reportedly tracked the votes of each Republican senator, possibly recording the information to use against them in upcoming campaigns. Meanwhile, several Democrats voiced their objections before casting their “no” votes, but they were quickly silenced by the gavel.

http://nymag.com/thecut/2017/01/the-senate-just-voted-to-roll-back-womens-healthcare.html

[JustAnotherGen]

1. And what will they do with it

As New York’s Ed Kilgore pointed out, GOP Senators also declined to protect Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and rural hospitals. Democrats reportedly tracked the votes of each Republican senator, possibly recording the information to use against them in upcoming campaigns. Meanwhile, several Democrats voiced their objections before casting their “no” votes, but they were quickly silenced by the gavel.

They should use it to pummel them - but there are forces in the outreach that would prefer to 'work with Trump'. Sad - but true.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. They will

Nobody's suggesting to work on Trump on this.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. I thought I read at DU

One of the Senators was for trying to work with Trump? didn't think we should block everything??? I'll have to search back through GD this morning.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Bernie and Chuck

made some conciliatory noises right after the election that they might work with Trump on some issues where they might be in agreement (i.e. Infrastructure, Israel, "WWC concerns&quot , however, aside from the fact that they probably put that out there mostly as a bit of political courtesy and desire to not be perceived as reflexively obstructionist right out of the gate, I have not seen any evidence that the Democrats are buckling under to Trump, especially when it comes to ACA. The main problem is that, aside from the Filibuster on most legislation and politicking, there's not a lot that Democrats can do to stop Republicans from what they want to do, unfortunately. There's a good chance that we can bite into their numbers and increase our own in 2018.