Senator Dean Heller is lying to Nevada.
I broke down Senator Heller’s statements and tell you how he is lying.
Heller: “Obamacare clearly isn’t the answer – but doing nothing isn’t the answer either.”
Truth: Obamacare was the answer for tens of millions of Americans who needed protections in the way of preventing insurance companies from discriminating against pre-existing conditions, being a woman and expensive treatment. Senator Heller voted on a motion to proceed on a bill that he has not yet seen and the ones he has seen provide no positive answers for anyone in America. By voting for the motion to proceed, Heller is allowing a bill to repeal Obamacare without a replacement, literally not doing anything for Americans needing healthcare, i.e., all of us.
Heller: “Families have expressed unbearable struggles with the massive increases in premiums and a total loss of options for healthcare under Obamacare. Next year, Nevadans living in 14 of our 17 counties will have no insurer at all to choose from purchasing insurance on the individual market will face an average premium increase of 38 percent.”
Truth: Premiums have grown at a smaller rate in Nevada under Obamacare than they did before Obamacare. While counties in Nevada have in fact lost their only insurer on the individual market, it is due to the Trump administration creating uncertainty by threatening Obamacare stability and threatening to withhold CSR’s (Cost Sharing Reductions offered to insurers who offer plans to low income individuals). The 38% increase in premiums is also directly due to the Trump administration’s threats to destabilize the markets if Congress doesn’t repeal Obamacare.
Heller: “Too many Nevadans, particularly those living in rural areas, have been left with dwindling or no choices because Obamacare is unworkable.”
Truth: Here in Nevada, like everywhere else in America, Obamacare saved many rural hospitals and health clinics from closing. The bills that are currently being offered by Republicans in Congress and Senator Heller apparently supports, will decimate rural healthcare by closing hospitals, reducing Medicaid availability and fleeing doctors.
Heller: “That’s why I voted to proceed and debate many different repeal and replace options that could work for Nevada.”
Truth: None of them leave Nevada better than now under Obamacare. Even Republican Nevada Governor Sandoval agrees.
Heller: “I have been working with colleagues on commonsense solutions that would improve our healthcare system – including giving more power back to states, where it belongs, and repealing the individual and employer mandates that force individuals to buy a product they may not want.”
Truth: Senator Heller has never disclosed to the people of Nevada what he is seeking in a bill so he could support it and make Nevada health more secure. Senator Heller supports repealing the individual and employer mandates that have stabilized the insurance market and strengthened insurance companies by evening out the pool of individuals who buy insurance. Without these mandates, predominately sick Americans will buy insurance, which will, in turn, raise prices on healthcare in America. Also, without healthy Americans buying insurance, the market will crumble as these individuals will inevitably get sick and only buy insurance when it’s needed the most, skyrocketing care.
Heller: "To be clear – I am voting to begin debate because I believe that we can and must do better.”
Truth: Nothing that has been offered by Republicans in Congress, including Senator Heller, have provided for a better healthcare system for Americans. Under proposals on the Senate floor, the least deadly bill will cost 22 MILLION Americans their health coverage.
What’s not mentioned in this letter is Medicaid. Over 240k Nevadans have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, thanks to Governor Sandoval. Again, a Republican who opposes this bill.
While we must keep the pressure on Senator Heller to vote on ‘No’ on any bill, we must now turn our focus on voting Senator Heller out in 2018 and back his eventual challenger, either Rep. Jacky Rosen (declared candidate) or Rep. Dina Titus (undeclared candidate). Let’s keep Nevada Blue in 2018!