Raybould Calls On US Senate To Take Immediate Action To Lower Health Care Costs
Nebraskans joined U.S. Senate candidate Jane Raybould last week to send a message to Sen. Deb Fischer: People in every corner of the state are hurting because of her votes in the U.S. Senate to hike health care premiums. Raybould called on Fischer and the US Senate to take immediate action to lower costs.
Sen. Fischer was the decisive vote in support of the Republican tax-reform bill, now law, which ended regulations controlling premium costs. Nebraska’s lone Affordable Care Act insurer has announced its customers would see an increase in premiums for the third year in a row. The Congressional Budget Office estimates Fischer’s votes will increase the amount of uninsured Americans by 13 million. The increase in uncompensated care causes health care providers to raise prices, shifting costs to individuals with private insurance coverage including employer-sponsored insurance plans.
“Senator Fischer knew all along that her vote would hurt her constituents — but she did it anyway, because she has time and time again shown she is unwilling to stand up to Mitch McConnell, Wall Street or the pharmaceutical giants who are working overtime to keep her in office,” said Raybould at during last week’s press conference.
Watch coverage of Jane Raybould calling on the U.S. Senate to take immediate action to lower health care costs for Nebraskans:
KMTV: Candidate Raybould calls for improvements in healthcare coverage
In response to Sen. Fischer’s party-line vote to upend the entire health care market, Raybould called on the U.S. Senate to enact a four-point plan to bring down health care costs immediately:
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Enact tougher standards in prescription drug pricing to prevent ridiculous price gouging.
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Use the great buying power of the U.S. to allow Medicare part D to negotiate prescription drug prices.
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Help make health care coverage more affordable for individuals and small businesses by expanding the tax credits to all income levels.
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Increase the base of practitioners to encourage greater use of physician assistants and nurse practitioners as front-line health care workers who can write prescriptions and dispense primary care at lower costs than a doctor and reach into underserved communities.
“Last week, Lynn, an Omaha resident who is the caretaker for her brother with five pre-existing conditions, spoke about her brother’s insurance premiums skyrocketing from $200 a month to over $1000 each month after Sen. Fischer’s vote,” said Raybould on Monday. “Nebraskans like Lynn are wondering when their senator will stand up for them and make health care work for the people in this state. If DC Deb isn’t going to stand up for Nebraskans in Washington, then come November, we’re going send someone to the U.S. Senate who isn’t afraid to roll-up her sleeves and get the job done.”
Media contact: Brandon Weathersby
cell: 414-364-6729
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A grocery store owner and faithful Catholic, Jane Raybould knows what it means to serve her community — to put community before self. She is running for the United States Senate to cut through the partisan bickering and get things done for Nebraskans, like her customers. Jane boldly announced she would refuse donations from corporate PACs because she knows the special interests hold too much sway in Washington. Her opponent, incumbent Senator Deb Fischer has enriched herself in office and voted with her party 98% of the time — even when those policies are harmful to Nebraskans.