Hundreds rally for health care protection in Huntington
From News 12
HUNTINGTON – Hundreds of people attended a health care rally in Huntington Saturday in an effort to push back against Republicans who have vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Edna Gruvman, of Dix Hills, was in attendance in the packed-to-capacity Huntington Unitarian Universalist Congregation. She says as the Trump administration repeals and replaces “Obamacare,” her daughter might be left out in the cold.
“If they repeal pre-existing conditions, and I have to get a new policy, I won’t be able to buy a new policy,” Gruvman told News 12 Long Island.
President Donald Trump says he would like to maintain a coverage guarantee for Americans under 26 years old or those who have a pre-existing condition, and the White House insists that any replacement plan will be an improvement.
“If people are really worried about losing their coverage, they should be applauding the president for trying to put in place a system that does what they were promised awhile back,” says White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Many in attendance at the rally say their agenda is not just about the Affordable Care Act. Many are lobbying Albany lawmakers to pass a single-payer health care system in New York.
Organizers at Saturday’s event say state legislation is more important than ever.
“It would be huge to have something to backup what we get from the ACA, but at the end of the day, we’d hate to lose the ACA,” says organizer Steve Cecchini.