ACC 'deeply concerned' by Senate healthcare bill; AHA calls for 'no' vote

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its report on the Senate’s version of an Affordable Care Act repeal-and-replace plan. According to the non-partisan group’s projections, 22 million more people would uninsured by 2026 while deductibles and premiums would increase significantly.

In response, two leading cardiovascular groups have announced opposition to the legislation, dubbed the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). The American College of Cardiology (ACC) released a statement from C. Michael Valentine, MD, ACC vice president on June 26.

"The [CBO] analysis makes clear that the [BCRA] Act would lead to a loss of coverage for millions of Americans and limit access to care for our most vulnerable populations. The American College of Cardiology is deeply concerned by the potential impact not only on our own patients, but for all Americans who need care," Valentine said.

"The ACC opposes the Better Care Reconciliation Act as it does not align with our Principles for Health Reform, which stress the need for patient access to meaningful insurance coverage and high quality care. We urge senators to move forward on a bipartisan basis to promote the reforms necessary to strengthen and improve our health care system."

The American Heart Association joined 12 patient groups that released a June 26 joint statement that urged legislators to scrap this effort and restart the entire process.

“We call on the Senate to vote ‘no’ on this bill that will do irreparable harm to patients, particularly those living with chronic illnesses,” the statement read. “The [BCRA] was drafted behind closed doors without input from patients and other stakeholders. It fails to prioritize patient needs and protect the most vulnerable Americans. If enacted, it would repeal critical patient protections afforded by the current law, making coverage more expensive and less comprehensive for far too many. The Senate should reject this ill-conceived bill and start over.”