For Immediate Release
Cindy Hoffman: 202 524 5330
CHoffman@ywca.org

June 26, 2017

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) just reported that the Senate’s plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act would leave 22 million Americans uninsured within the next decade. The CBO estimates that 15 million people would lose health insurance in 2018 alone, with that number increasing over time.

Statement by Casey Harden, Interim CEO of YWCA USA:

“This bill would be devastating for millions of people across the country. Many of our country’s most vulnerable, including low-income people, women of color, seniors, and disabled people, are at the greatest risk of losing health insurance due to this bill and its proposed cuts to Medicaid. It will have an outsized harmful impact on women and communities of color.

“Every American loses when access to healthcare is stripped away, but women of color stand to lose the most. With the Affordable Care Act, the rates of uninsured women of color fell between seven and nine percent. Today, tens of millions of women of color are insured who were not previously.

“The Affordable Care Act addressed deeply entrenched healthcare disparities – disparities that still need work – and we must ensure this work continues. Women and girls of color are consistently deprioritized in policymaking, leading to negative outcomes as extreme as death. Our nation’s leaders must continue to improve the state of healthcare for women of color, rather than allowing it to worsen under this troubling new legislation.”

About YWCA USA

YWCA USA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities. We are one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families each year. Learn more: www.ywca.org.