Issued November 29, 2016
Washington, DC – Mary Kay Henry, SEIU International President and Dr. Eve Kellner, President of the Committee of Interns and Residents, issued this statement today in response to President-elect Trump’s plan to nominate Representative Tom Price (R-GA) as Secretary of Health and Human Services:
“President-elect Trump's choice of Representative Price as Secretary of Health and Human Services proves he has tuned out the voices of America’s working families, many of whom are counting on Medicaid, Medicare or the Affordable Care Act for their healthcare.
“As the nation’s largest union of healthcare workers, including thousands of resident physicians and fellows, we know that comprehensive primary care is essential to the doctor-patient relationship, but Rep. Price's proposals would block millions of patients from preventive healthcare – resulting in a worst-case scenario for physicians and their patients.
“As Republicans rush to repeal the healthcare law with no clear plan to replace it, the health of millions of Americans, including our children and seniors, is at risk. 22 million Americans are at risk of losing their healthcare by January. Parents and grandparents in nursing homes, or aging at home, would have their care endangered or cut short. Children who can see a doctor thanks to Medicaid would end up instead waiting in emergency rooms.
“Working families across America already struggle to make ends meet for their families and cannot afford higher costs for prescription drugs and higher premiums for less care. That’s Rep. Price’s vision and the vision of Republicans in Congress. We cannot allow them to put the health of seniors, children and working people at risk and will continue to fight back with a growing movement of people across this country who will stand up and defend access to quality, affordable healthcare for all.”