Press Release

Today, Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) released the following statement in response to the Senate plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act:

Just like the bill the House majority rushed to pass that takes health care away from 23 million people, the Senate's plan would do incredible harm to America's patients. Without any public input, the Senate is preparing to overhaul the health care system and make it more difficult for hardworking families to afford the care they need.

This bill increases out of pocket costs and makes even deeper cuts than the House bill to health care for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and the elderly. As a doctor, I don't want to go back to a time when too many of my patients were one catastrophe away from losing everything.

Health care isn't about politics – it's about people's lives. I hope that Senators will listen to the concerns of patients and physicians across the country and start over with a genuine attempt to improve care and lower costs.

Before serving in Congress, Dr. Bera practiced internal medicine, served as Sacramento County's Chief Medical Officer, and taught at the UC Davis School of Medicine.