Mike D'Agostino

With a thin 217-213 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, President Donald J. Trump was able to move forward with one of his biggest campaign promises – dismantling and replacing the Affordable Care Act.

Since its enactment in 2010, 20 million Americans have gained health coverage under the ACA. Now these people are in jeopardy of losing coverage.

Trump’s health care proposal would:

• Roll back the expansion of Medicaid under ACA.
• Eliminate tax penalties for people who go without health insurance.
• Repeal state-by-state expansion of Medicaid, which covered millions of low-income Americans.
• Replace government-subsidized insurance policies offered exclusively on the ACA’s market places with tax credits of $2,000 to $4,000 depending on age

While the Congressional Budget Office said the first version of the House Bill would trim the federal budget deficit substantially, it would also leave 24 million more Americans without health insurance after a decade.

If approved by the U.S. Senate, this bill has the power to negatively affect countless Connecticut residents.

We should not jeopardize the health of millions of people. As a state legislator, I am fighting to find ways to ensure that if Obamacare is repealed, Connecticut residents -- who would otherwise be uninsured – will be able to maintain coverage.

This year, I co-sponsored House Bill 6175 that would help offset any effects caused by Obamacare’s repeal. The bill requires the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to submit a strategic plan to ensure the continuity of affordable and comprehensive health care coverage no later than 60 days following the passage of any federal legislation repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

While this bill may not go into effect this legislative session, my colleagues and I will do everything we can to protect Connecticut residents’ rights to have affordable health care.