Pelosi Remarks at Community Health Care Forum in San Francisco on National Day of Action to #ProtectOurCare
Contact: Drew Hammill/Caroline Behringer, 202-226-7616
San Francisco – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined constituents, health care providers, advocates and community leaders to discuss the effort to save the Affordable Care Act at a community forum. Below are the Leader's opening remarks.
"It's time to officially open our Day of Action event in San Francisco, California. As we gather here to save our health care, people are gathering all over the country. In Democratic districts, under the leadership of Democratic Members, in Republican districts, with outside mobilization weighing in – a day of action to preserve our care. This is absolutely essential because this is an assault on one of the most important rights – to good health. Remember Martin Luther King said, of all the forms of inequality, the injustice in health care is one of the most inhumane. We know that, and we'll talk some more about that. We know that this is a very important value to our country to be respectful of meeting the needs of the American people.
"We will talk over the course of the morning on the Republican plan and how it is really so out of the question. We are for the Affordable Care Act. We want to see them come up with something that does not diminish what our goals were in the Affordable Care Act.
"Those goals were, to expand coverage to as many people as possible in our country, to improve benefits for everyone and to lower costs. So it's not just about the 20 million people – actually it's 20 million, comma, 400,000 people – who as of today have health insurance who would not have had it before. It's also about the 155 million people who get their benefits through the workplace and expanded benefits that they have. Whether it's no preexisting condition being a barrier to insurance, whether it's no lifetime or annual limits on the coverage they receive, whether it's children being able to stay on their parents' policy until 26 years old, whether being a woman is no longer being a preexisting medical condition [cheers and applause] or whether it's insisting that health insurance companies spend 80% of the money they receive on the health care of their policy holders and not on advertising and CEO pay.
"Community health centers are a central part of this that would be overturned with the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The list goes on and on and but a new number that I want you all to carry with you and use is 27% – at this conference yesterday, Families USA in Washington, I heard a doctor make this presentation – 27% of people under the age of 65, not on Medicaid, will be uninsured because they have preexisting medical conditions. The cost will be so astronomical it won't be able to happen. That's not what our country is about.
"That's why I say, the Republicans want to Make America Sick Again. We will not let that happen. So what can we do about it? Everybody sees the urgency. Many of you want to take responsibility, as you see that urgency. We have this opportunity to have people take another look at the Affordable Care Act to dispel what they had heard – misrepresentations they had heard before.
"And to that end, I'm very honored that we have two very special guests to talk about this from their experience. Secretary Diana Dooley is the California Human and Health Services Secretary, appointed by Governor Jerry Brown. She served under Jerry Brown in his first term. She has been involved in the private sector, in the non-profit sector. She knows health issues from every angle. When she speaks on the subject, everyone listens. She is an expert. And California has led the way – Covered California has led the way in being an example to the country. Thank you, Secretary Dooley for being with us.
[Applause]
"Before I bring her up, I want you to know who else is with us. Dr. Susan Ehrlich is the CEO of the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. On so many occasions, she has hosted us there for us to make presentations, hear stories and the rest. She is on the frontline of providing health care in our community. She has been a tremendous leader. Her background serves us all well.
"We're all here, again, to make sure that health care is viewed as a right for all Americans, not just the privileged few. Dr. Ehrlich has dedicated her life to that.
"So I just first bring up, Secretary Dooley with our respect for Governor Brown who appointed her in the ‘70s and now, all these years later, her experience is vast, long-term. We're delighted that she is with us today – Secretary Dooley."
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