As you know, in March, the Congressman fled from constituents standing the legally mandated distance from his office to celebrate the anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Shortly after that, a story about his avoidance of us ran in the Bucks County Courier Times. In response, his office placed a guest opinion attacking Penn Action and volunteer, Barbara Stakes. Barb is a Bucks County resident and tireless advocate for health care justice. She’s told her story countless times at events to educate the public about the Affordable Care Act. She continues to fight to protect it from defunding at the hands of the new Congress. Her response to the Congressman’s attack ran in the Courier on April 25. You can read it here. From Barb’s guest opinion:
In October, I qualified for the PA Fair Care Highmark Blue Shield program made possible by the ACA’s “pre-existing conditions” provision.
This isn’t free. My premium is $283.20/mo. with a $1,000 annual deductible.
I’m grateful for it. I’m not grateful that Rep. Fitzpatrick has voted to take it away.
For the voters who live in the district that Fitzpatrick represents, it means health care reform that works. It is by no means a failure. At our meeting in Rep. Fitzpatrick’s office, I showed him my PA Fair Care medical insurance card. He seemed surprised and didn’t know that people in Pennsylvania are already benefiting from this provision of the ACA. The ACA prohibits insurance companies from placing annual and lifetime limits on coverage, allows young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plan, and gives tax credits and subsidies to small business owners who offer coverage. I wonder how many on Medicare are asking him to repeal their free yearly preventative check-ups and put back the donut hole. These are provisions in effect right now.
While voters in the 8th District elected Fitzpatrick to help bring jobs home, in my view he has voted to do anything but. Instead, he makes cultural statements on venues like National Public Radio.
How is it justified to cut programs that help middle- and low-income families while giving the wealthiest tax breaks? And how do cuts to programs create jobs?
Barb has it right. The ACA is helping people now. The Congressman is working his hardest to take that help away.
Thanks, Barb, for fighting for all of us to have access to affordable health care.