Durbin Shares Illinois Constituent Story To Highlight Stakes In Fight Against Republicans’ Attacks On Families’ Health Care

WASHINGTON—In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans for their continued efforts to destabilize and undermine America’s health care system. Durbin also shared the story of an Illinois constituent, Stefanie from Oak Park. Stefanie’s son just graduated from college and has a history of mental health and substance abuse issues. Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), her son is able to stay on her health insurance plan until age 26, insurers are prohibited from charging Stefanie or her family more because of a pre-existing condition, and health plans are required to cover mental health and addiction treatment, as well as other important health care services.

Durbin’s remarks are part of Senate Democrats’ “Patient of the Day” campaign, an effort to lift up the stories of families impacted by Republicans’ backward health care policies.

“Stefanie is afraid – if these protections go away because of a court case that’s currently pending or the actions of the Republican majority in the Senate, her son will be uninsurable or face enormous medical bills that he’s unable to pay,” Durbin said. “Democrats are fighting to keep health care protections for people like Stefanie and her son… despite the Republican and Trump Administration’s continued efforts to repeal these protections, both in Congress and in the Courts.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor are available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

Since day one of the Trump Administration, the President and Republicans have acted to raise families’ health costs, take away their coverage, and make health care lower-quality. Republicans are:

• Supporting a partisan lawsuit that would raise health care costs and take health care and protections away from tens of millions of people;
• Refusing to stop President Trump’s “junk” insurance plans, which increase costs and don’t protect patients with pre-existing conditions;
• Opposing steps that would lower the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, like Medicare negotiation;
• Defending President Trump’s budget proposals that would cut funding for Medicare and Medicaid, jeopardizing care for vulnerable seniors, children, and people with disabilities; and,
• Standing with President Trump as he implements a “gag rule” on medical providers in Title X-funded clinics across the country, jeopardizing reproductive care for millions of patients.

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