The local rally, denouncing Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, was one of many staged throughout the country.
“The ACA is not perfect, but to repeal it without putting another plan in place is going to cause complete chaos,” said Caroline Hietamaki, representing the Michigan Nurses Association. “The risk for mortality and morbidity will increase.”
Hietamaki, a recently retired nurse from UP Health System-Marquette with 36 years of experience, said she feels it’s her civic duty to protect patients who are at risk.
“Too many people already have a difficult time managing their health care,” she said. “They won’t get the adequate care they need if this is repealed with nothing to replace it.”
Representatives from several organizations, including the Marquette County Democratic Party, Delta County Democratic Party, the U.P. Regional Labor Federation and various unions also marched in support of the ACA and the local hospital.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to overturn and replace the Affordable Care Act, and majority Republicans in Congress this week began the process of repealing it using a budget maneuver that requires a bare majority in the Senate.
“This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. It is time we got our national priorities right,”Sen. Bernie Sanders told rally attendees in downstate Warren Sunday.
Tony Tollefson, former member of the Marquette City Commission and former mayor of Marquette, said losing the ACA will severely impact the 20 million individuals who receive health care through the plan.
“These people need help now, and repealing it without a replacement is fatally irresponsible,” he said. “People will die.”
About 100 people also attended a rally in Houghton, as well as many other cities and towns across the U.S.
While the ACA has delivered health coverage to millions of Americans, it is saddled with problems such as rapidly rising premiums and large co-payments.
The health law has provided subsidies and Medicaid coverage for millions who don’t get insurance at work. It has required insurers to cover certain services such as family planning and people who are already ill, and has placed limits on the amount that the sick and elderly can be billed for health care.
Republicans want to end the fines that enforce the requirement that many individuals buy coverage and that larger companies provide it to workers.
But they face internal disagreements on how to pay for any replacement and how to protect consumers and insurers during a long phase-in of an alternative.
Kelsie Thompson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206. Her email address is kthompson@miningjournal.net.
http://www.miningjournal.net/news/front-page-news/2017/01/for-healths-sake/