Here's What You Can Do ASAP To Keep AHCA From Passing In The Senate
The GOP's American Health Care Act has been passed by the US House of Representatives, and the bill currently awaits a vote in the Senate.
As 24 million Americans are on the brink of losing their health insurance by 2026, people are terrified of the repercussions of a repeal and replacement of Obamacare.
If you're one of those people, here are a few ways to make your voice heard and protect your right to health care.
Call your representative.
Here is the complete list of US senators and their contact information. Blow up their inboxes until their email servers collapse in on themselves, and call the phone numbers listed as many times as it takes to get someone on the line with you.
If you're not sure about what to say once an actual human answers the call, here's an easy script to follow:
You can also reach the capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Why yes, there is an app for that.
Virtually no one has the time to be put on hold for forever while you wait for a representative to answer your call.
Thankfully, the Stance app was created to solve this very problem.
It allows you to record a message beforehand, and then it automatically keeps calling your representative until it gets through. Once it does, your message will be played back for whoever is on the other end of the call.
Yay technology!
Put your money where your mouth is.
Whether we like it or not, money talks, baby.
ActBlue is a nonprofit political action committee that allows anyone to raise money online for Democratic candidates of their choice.
In response to the potential passing of the AHCA, ActBlue now enables you to raise money specifically for the eventual Democratic challengers who will run against Republican candidates who voted "yes" to the bill.
Have your numbers at the ready.
When it comes to health care in America, the only thing that possibly talks louder than the money are the hard numbers.
The AHCA would cut approximately 25 percent of Medicaid's funds, or $880 billion.
The new law would also allow insurers to charge older Americans much more for their health care. Under Obamacare, older enrollees could only be charged up to three times as much as younger policy holders.
Under Trumpcare, on the other hand, this ratio for premiums could be as high as five-to-one.
It's now up to the Senate to vote on the passing of the bill, though no one quite knows how long that will take, as senators must first get themselves up to speed on what the House actually voted on.
Use that time to your advantage and make your voice heard.
Citations: How the Republican bill would change Obamacare (CNN Money), Senators of the 115th Congress (United States Senate), Give to the Democrats who will run against the Republicans who voted for Trumpcare (ActBlue), A Little-Noticed Target in the House Health Bill: Special Education (The New York Times), The Next Step for the Republican Health Care Bill: A Skeptical Senate (The New York Times)
