Today, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) voted against the Republican Healthcare repeal bill that would dismantle many of the protections of the Affordable Care Act, gut funding for Medicaid and Planned Parenthood, raise out-of-pocket costs for seniors and working families, and lead to 24 million fewer Americans having health insurance. The bill passed on a strictly partisan 217-213 vote. After the vote, Rep. Peters released the following statement:

“This vote takes us one step closer to going back to a system where families go bankrupt over an unexpected illness and our emergency rooms are filled with mothers seeking basic care for their children.

“I’ve opposed this reckless healthcare repeal bill every step of the way because it will rip coverage away from millions of Americans, increase out-of-pocket costs for working families and seniors, and undermine protections for many Americans with pre-existing conditions.

“There are real steps we can take together to fix what’s not working in our healthcare system. Instead, today the House passed a bill that is opposed by doctors, nurses, hospitals, patients, and seniors because it would make the problems in our healthcare system worse, not better.

“But this is not over. I will keep fighting to stop this terrible plan from becoming law and get to work on real healthcare reform to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for American families.”

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Click here or above to see Rep. Peters speak during today’s debate over the Republican healthcare bill.

The uninsured rate in San Diego County dropped from 17% to 10% between 2013 and 2015, when the coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act were implemented. The rate in Rep. Peters’ district dropped from 9.4% to just 5.4%. The 250,000 San Diegans who gained coverage under the expansion of Medi-Cal would have been at risk of losing their health insurance under the Republican repeal plan.

The Brookings Institution has estimated that the average premium for comprehensive health insurance plans that cover essential benefits like prescription drugs, hospitalization, and pregnancy will rise 13% under the Republican healthcare plan. The Kaiser Family Foundation has estimated that a senior living in San Diego County in 2020 with an income of $50,000 per year would have to pay $3,280 more annually in premiums under the Republican healthcare plan.

Summary of Rep. Peters’ actions on healthcare since the Republican repeal bill was introduced:

• Participated in a marathon 27 hour meeting on the Republican healthcare repeal bill and voted against advancing it out of the Energy and Commerce Committee. During that meeting he urged fiscal responsibility and bipartisanship, and shared the story of a San Diego family who benefitted from coverage gained under the Affordable Care Act. View Rep. Peters’ remarks here, here, and here.
• Spoke out against the Congressional Republican’s healthcare repeal bill in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
• Sent a letter signed by 95 of his colleagues demanding that Speaker Ryan give the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) time to “score” the substantive changes to the Republican healthcare repeal bill before scheduling it for a vote in the House.
• Spoke directly to a number of his Republican colleagues that were on the fence, urging them to oppose the bill and instead work together on real healthcare reforms.
• Participated in the debate on the House floor in March, helping to stop the bill from getting a vote.
• Took part in the debate on the House floor today, urging his colleagues to vote no.