Ed Gillespie has previously called for the full repeal of the Affordable Care Act, but today he’s hiding his position on this disastrous bill. The Senate bill would strip away Medicaid funding that Virginia relies on to fight the growing Opioid epidemic in Virginia. Not only that, but Virginia voters reject the plan 2 to 1 according to recent polling, concerned that increased health care costs and deep cuts to Medicaid would leave them with nowhere to turn.
Opioid Facts in Virginia:
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At least 40,000 Virginians with substance abuse issues rely on Medicaid. [VCU School Of Medicine, January 2016]
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At least 2 Virginians die per day from prescription opioid and heroin overdoses. [VCU School Of Medicine, January 2016]
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More than 800 died from opioid overdoses in 2015. [Kaiser Family Foundation]
American Bridge spokesperson Lizzy Price made the following statement:
“Ed Gillespie’s silence on this heartless bill that would gut Medicaid and leave Virginians out in the cold makes it clear he will always bow to political pressure instead of defending Virginians’ health care. This bill should be an easy no for Gillespie, but given his past views on taking away health care from Virginians, we’re not surprised. ”
Gillespie Called On Trump To “Fully Repeal Obamacare.” According to Politico, “Virginia Ed Gillespie’s spokesman Matt Moran: ‘Ed believes Obamacare is a disaster that should be completely repealed and replaced – and done so without punishing taxpayers in fiscally-responsible states like Virginia. Ed believes that Congress and the Trump Administration should work together to pass a conservative plan that fully repeals Obamacare and replaces it with healthcare system that saves taxpayer dollars, increases affordability and gives consumers the choices they deserve.’” [Politico, 3/9/17]
Ed Gillespie: “I Don’t Believe Expanding Medicaid In The Commonwealth Is The Right Approach.” According to WVTF, “We need to make access to healthcare more affordable for more Virginians, and I don’t believe expanding Medicaid in the Commonwealth is the right approach in that regard. When you look at other states that have done that the cost has gone up much faster than they projected, that’s almost inevitably the case.” [WVTF, 6/7/17]
Published: Jun 22, 2017