The following are position statements by health care professionals who understand how their patients will be affected by the GOP health reform.

“The nation’s biggest doctors group on Wednesday came out in opposition to the GOP’s ObamaCare replacement bill, warning that it would cause millions of people to lose coverage.”

“As drafted, the AHCA would result in millions of Americans losing coverage and benefits,” said Dr. Andrew Gurman, president of the American Medical Association (AMA), referring to the American Health Care Act.

“By replacing income-based premium subsidies with age-based tax credits, the AHCA will also make coverage more expensive — if not out of reach — for poor and sick Americans. For these reasons, the AMA cannot support the AHCA as it is currently written.” (Excerpts taken from an article written by Peter Sullivan for The Hill. To read the full article see http://bit.ly/2m2lwnG ).

Nurses joined the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) in ripping apart the GOP plan.

The open letter written by the American Nurses Association to members of congress reads as follows (http://www.nursingworld.org/ANA-AHCA-OppositionLetter):

Representing the interests of our nation’s more than 3.6 million registered nurses, the American Nurses Association (ANA) respectfully wishes to express its opposition to the recently released American Health Care Act (AHCA) as written.

The American Health Care Act threatens health care affordability, access, and delivery for individuals across the nation. In its current form, the bill changes Medicaid to a per capita cap funding model, eliminates the Prevention and Public Health Fund, restricts millions of women from access to critical health services, and repeals income based subsidies that millions of people rely on. These changes in no way will improve care for the American people.

ANA also remains troubled by the absence of testimony from non-partisan experts, such as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) or the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Input from these and other non-partisan experts would shed light on the potential long-term economic and health consequences of the legislation. Any legislation that would fundamentally alter health-care delivery and deeply impact patients and providers deserves thoughtful, deliberate and transparent consideration. ANA strongly urges Congress to allow opportunity for considered public and stakeholder feedback in the face of reforms that would have a far-reaching and personal impact on the lives of millions of people.

Nurses work in virtually every health care setting, providing expert, compassionate care for people throughout all stages of life. As the organization representing the nation’s largest group of health care professionals and its most trusted profession, ANA asks Congress to keep our patients’ access to affordable, quality care foremost in their discussions over how to improve our nation’s healthcare system. ANA stands ready to work with Congress as a constructive voice and positive force for improving health care delivery, coverage, and affordability for the American people.