Don’t repeal Obamacare
In the coming weeks, the president and Republican leaders in Congress will advance their agenda for 2018. Many Republicans, including President Donald Trump, are threatening another push to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and cut Medicaid this year — moves that would be disastrous for Texas families.
Since the ACA went into effect, the number of Texans without health coverage has dropped by 30 percent, and recent data show more than 1.1 million Texans enrolled in ACA health coverage for 2018.
Still, President Trump and some leaders in Congress continue to point to the disastrous Graham-Cassidy ACA repeal bill as the way forward. Despite their claims, this bill would actually take coverage away from millions, weaken safeguards for people with pre-existing conditions, and further destabilize insurance markets.
In Texas, Medicaid provides health coverage to over four million children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. Reducing federal funds through a block grant or a cap on Medicaid spending would limit Texas’ ability to respond to healthcare costs from recessions, natural disasters, public health emergencies, or prescription drug spikes.
Instead of threatening health care for millions of Americans, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, R-Texas, should represent the best interests of all Texans and support bipartisan solutions to expand insurance coverage to strengthen our healthcare system. Join me in calling on Congress to protect Texas families from efforts to slash Medicaid, repeal the ACA, and take health care away from millions of Americans.
Patrick Bresette, Texas executive director, Children’s Defense Fund
Dangerous Trump tweets
I don’t always agree with the Washington Post’s Eugene Robinson, but his column published Jan. 3 in The Monitor, “Something is wrong when Washington’s rhetoric matches North Korea’s,” was right on. I would, however, amend the statement about reminding Congress whose responsibility it is to declare war. Someone should remind President Donald Trump that it is a joint decision with Congress to carry out the threats he is tweeting!
Glenda Garza, McAllen
