Statements
Rep. Stephanie Murphy, Seminole County leaders, health care advocates slamTrump’s attacks on health care ahead of visit
One day before Donald Trump’s rally in Sanford, Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy and Seminole County leaders and health care advocates slammed Donald Trump for fighting to terminate the Affordable Care Act, and all the critical protections it provides Floridians. They highlighted Donald Trump’s failure to develop a replacement health care plan and why this is personally, urgently important to their families.
Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, FL-7
“The worst thing that you can do in the midst of a pandemic is take away people’s access to health care. It just doesn’t make any sense. Health care is a right, not a privilege in normal times — and health in a pandemic is central to our recovery as an economy and as a country…this is where my opponent is in lock step with Donald Trump. He wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act in its entirety, and that means they will repeal protections for people with pre-existing conditions, it will kick young people off of their health care at a time when they’re struggling to find jobs in the midst of a recession. It would allow insurance companies to charge more when you get sick… this is Donald Trump’s vision for health care in America…this is why we all have to show up and vote.”
Tracey Kagan, candidate for Florida State House, District 29
“I’m going to take it down to you on a personal level. I’m a single mother with three daughters. My middle daughter had covid; she also has asthma. My middle daughter, as well as my other daughters, are all under 26 years old, so they are at risk of losing their health care. I am at risk of losing the health care that I have because under the Affordable Care Act, I can afford it. If not [for the ACA], as the sole proprietor of a small business I will be… left without any health care. I’m also the caretaker of an 86 year old mother. My mother has an enormous amount of bills when it comes to prescription drugs. This is real. It’s happening in real time. Our health care is on the butcher block and they don’t care… Joe Biden cares. Joe Biden gets it…We must stop Trump, we must stop him from taking away this right that is so vital to us right now.”
Pernell Bush, candidate for Seminole County Commission District 5
“Floridians are already voting and it couldn’t be more clear: Donald Trump is currently fighting to take away our health care coverage, where Joe Biden is going to fight lower [costs]. We need these services. For our communities that I serve, for the citizens I serve, there are many who I have spoken with who are right now in major fear. As a mental health therapist, I can tell you that this fear is very real. This is something that is very concerning, so right now we need you all to get out and vote for Joe Biden this November 3rd.”
Connie Curran, president of the Seminole County Democrats with Disabilities caucus
“I had triplets born early, joining their 23 month old brother, and it became a struggle that moment on, every inch of the way, with insurance. I’ve always been either self-employed or a small business owner, so I wasn’t covered by a plan. I had to always scramble for my insurance. Nobody wanted to cover anything involved with their prematurity, [which] was considered a pre-existing condition — so [it was a] fight for every therapy session, for every doctor’s treatment, everything.”
“…When the ACA came along, I was finally able to go on and have peace of mind for the very first time knowing that there were guaranteed services, things could not be denied. No one could tell me that my children were uninsurable, which I heard over and over again.”
Kyle Hopkins, Masters in Health Administration and Campaign Chair of the Seminole County Democratic Party
“Make no mistake, Trump has been picking justices for the Supreme Court with the sole purpose of striking down the ACA and removing women’s rights. We have six justices, if Amy Coney Barret is confirmed, that will have previously ruled against the women’s contraception mandate under the ACA and 5 justices that have expressed skepticism or rules against the Affordable Care Act in the past.”
“…I have taken some of the medications on that list for automatic disqualification [for coverage] and I feel at risk if Trump is re-elected…”