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Portsmouth, N.H. - Today in Prescott Park, a health care worker and Granite Staters whose live have been greatly impacted by the Affordable Care Act joined New Hampshire Senate Majority Leader and Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Dan Feltes to discuss what’s at stake for the Granite State on health care as hearings begin for Donald Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Donald Trump and his Republican allies like Chris Sununu want the Affordable Care Act struck down, stripping health coverage away from millions of people in the middle of a pandemic. As this assault proceeds, Donald Trump continues to spin a web of lies about his health care improvements, just two weeks ago suggesting that “insulin is like water” in terms of cost. Republican Governor Chris Sununu calls himself a quote “Trump guy, through and through” - and for good reason. Like Trump, Sununu is backed by health insurance and drug companies and wants to put protections for 572,000 Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions at risk. Sununu proudly stands with Trump as he nominates a potential Supreme Court justice who is poised to overturn the landmark health care law. You can view pictures from the press conference here. Read excerpts from today’s press conference below: New Hampshire Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes: “Like Trump, Chris Sununu has a long history of attacking the Affordable Care Act. He called the 2012 Supreme Court decision upholding the ACA quote ‘our nightmare’, he called the ACA ‘a disaster’, and while on the Executive Council, he even bragged about blocking the Affordable Care Act. When he was running for governor, Sununu pledged to fight to repeal the Affordable Care Act and he has kept that out-of-touch promise. Sununu has undermined health care for Granite Staters at every turn. From supporting the Trump administration’s junk insurance plans and threatening protections for pre-existing conditions to undermining Medicaid expansion, risking the health care of 50,000 Granite Staters, Sununu has been the worst thing to happen to health care in New Hampshire.” Laurie McCray, chair of the Portsmouth Democratic Committee: “Like Trump, Sununu is backed by health insurance and drug companies that are making health care more expensive for everyone. And like Trump, Sununu wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would have disastrous effects for many New Hampshire families. As a retired registered nurse, I understand how Trump and Sununu’s plans to sabotage and repeal the ACA would lead to disastrous consequences for the people of New Hampshire. Repealing the Affordable Care Act could threaten coverage for more than 570,000 Granite States who have pre-existing conditions. Repealing the Affordable Care Act could remove over 50,000 Granite Staters who gained health insurance coverage through Medicaid expansion. Repealing the Affordable Care Act could allow insurance plans to revert back to charging higher rates for women than men for the exact same coverage.” Stefany Shaheen, health care advocate: “Our family understands what it is like to risk losing health care because of a pre-existing condition. My oldest daughter, Elle, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was just 8 years old. At the time, we were paying thousands of dollars a month that we didn’t have in order to keep our health plan because she would’ve been denied coverage if our family tried to change plans. Living with Type 1 Diabetes is costly in countless ways. In order to stay alive, my daughter must take insulin continuously. Without insulin, she cannot survive. And contrary to what the President says, insulin is not cheap. And it is certainly not cheap ‘like water.’ In fact, if insulin and water were priced the same, a 20 oz bottle of water would be priced at $17,730. If Trump's third Supreme Court justice is seated and helps overturn the ACA -- 20 million people could immediately lose their health insurance and as many as 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions will lose coverage protections.”
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