WASHINGTON — Today, on a conference call with New Mexico reporters, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, outlined the devastating impacts that repealing the Affordable Care Act would have on Tribal communities in New Mexico and throughout the nation.
Udall has heard from many Tribal leaders and Native Americans in New Mexico and throughout Indian Country who are concerned about efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the Medicaid expansion — which has insured nearly 287,000 Native Americans from 492 Tribes, including 45,600 Native Americans in New Mexico and has helped fill badly needed funding gaps at the Indian Health Service. Udall echoed the concerns of Tribal leaders who have decried the complete lack of Tribal consultation on Republicans’ health care efforts, which would have sweeping and disastrous consequences for Indian Country. Earlier today, Udall held a roundtable discussion with Tribal leaders from across Indian Country to hear about the impact of ACA repeal on Native Americans’ health care.
Last night, after two more GOP senators announced their opposition and derailed the latest attempt to pass TrumpCare, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced that he would pursue a strategy of repealing the ACA entirely, with no plan to replace it. In a statement following McConnell's announcement, Udall called the strategy "even more dangerous" for New Mexico.
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