3.2 Million Americans Became Uninsured While Gianforte Fought to Cut Taxes for Millionaires
Helena—Today, Gallup released a new report which found that while Greg Gianforte was fighting to cut taxes for multimillionaires like him while raising the debt by more than $1 trillion, the number of Americans without health insurance rose 1.3 percent—or by 3.2 million people—in 2017. This is the largest single-year increase in uninsured Americans since Gallup began tracking the rate.
According to Gallup, one of the main reason for this increase is the Congressional majority’s repeated attempts to destabilize and repeal the current health care system. Multimillionaire Congressman Greg Gianforte has endorsed the controversial Graham-Cassidy bill, one of the most extreme versions of the repeal legislation. It would:
“Radically restructure and deeply cut Medicaid,” threatening coverage for more than 70,000 Montanans and endangering the financial solvency of Montana’s rural hospitals and nursing homes;
Jeopardize protections for people with pre-existing conditions, allowing insurers to charge sick people higher premiums for the same coverage;
Prohibit the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for care at Planned Parenthood clinics and make it easier for states to eliminate requirements mandating insurance companies cover maternity care;
Allow insurers to institute an estimated $20,450 surcharge for people addicted to opioids.
Gianforte also voted for the recent Tax Scam bill, which will fund tax breaks to multimillionaires and corporations by kicking an estimated 13 million Americans off their insurance and by raising health care premiums on working families.
“While Greg Gianforte was busy fighting to cut taxes for multimillionaires like him, 3.2 million more Americans became uninsured,” said Nancy Keenan, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party.“Gianforte hasn’t managed to do anything in Congress except put corporations and his millionaire buddies before the health of Montana families. There is no clearer indication that he does not share or understand Montana values at all.”