Advocates joined Protect Our Care Iowa as Sen. Ernst and Rep. Nunn Wage War on Iowans’ Health Care
The Republican Tax Law will rip away health care from over 100,000 Iowans
Des Moines, IA — Tuesday, Protect Our Care Iowa, Fairness for Iowa, Common Good Iowa, Iowa Citizen Action Network and Main Street Alliance Iowa hosted a press conference on the ongoing Trump-GOP Health Care Emergency and Sen. Joni Ernst and Rep. Zach Nunn’s vote to upend Iowa’s health care system. The fallout from the Republican Tax Law is happening now, causing severe damage to health care as we know it – all to give tax breaks to billionaires and major corporations. For years, Republicans have been trying to slash Medicaid and dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) —and last month, they finally succeeded, passing the Republican Tax Law which makes the largest cuts to health care in American history and raises costs for millions of working families across the country.
In Iowa, Sen. Ernst and Rep. Nunn are putting rural hospitals and 11 Iowa nursing homes at risk of closure, along with 9,000 Iowans’ jobs. They are putting access to care at risk for 113,979 Iowans, and skyrocketing premium costs and wait times for those who have coverage within reach. This is the GOP war on health care in action, and it means higher costs and worse care for millions of American families. The consequences of this bill will be felt for years to come, and we are already seeing the impacts play out across the country. Speakers discussed the Republican Tax Law’s ongoing impact on Iowa families, and held Sen. Ernst and Rep. Nunn accountable for their votes to slash health care access and raise prices for Iowans.
Lori Hunt from Des Moines relies on expanded tax credits to pay for ACA insurance that covers ongoing treatment for breast cancer. Republicans let this tax credit expire while cutting billions from Medicaid to fund permanent tax breaks for the wealthy.
“It’s not just the cancer screenings, it’s the unexpected trip to urgent care, prescriptions, any ailment or even just getting a flu shot, ” Hunt said. “But, due to the inaction of my representatives not reauthorizing the expanded tax credit, the tax credit that I rely on is set to expire at the end of this year. Without it my monthly premium will be more than my mortgage payment. And it’s not just me, this will impact thousands of Iowans.”
Amber Gustafson, a small business owner and mother of three from Ankeny, relies on ACA coverage for herself and her children.
“With kids going back to school, it is hard to miss how much more I am paying for notebooks, calculators and clothes due to tariffs and inflation,” Gustafson said. “Now we will add a stiff price increase to our health insurance. No one should be forced to go without health insurance or to pay exorbitant premiums to access basic health care, all because Zach Nunn chose billionaires over the working people of Iowa.”