Latinos make up 40 percent of uninsured Americans, a number that steadily dropped under the Affordable Care Act. Raul Ruiz, the only Latino doctor in Congress, is no stranger to long hours and laborious work; that same work ethic is now being put to the test, in the ongoing debate over the GOP health care plan set to overhaul Obamacare.
“This Republican plan will make premiums and deductibles go up even higher, 24 million will be uninsured — there will be less coverage, there will be less protection because Medicaid insurance will not ensure essential benefits, per capita block granting will reduce Medicaid eligibility, states will reduce what they are willing to pay for — and there will be reduced reimbursement rates to hospitals and doctors for patients on Medicaid…There’s nothing to reduce health care costs and out-of-pocket payments” said Raul Ruiz.
Raul Ruiz stated that even though the Affordable Care Act was imperfect, it was a step in the right direction, ultimately reducing the rise of premiums and deductibles. He proposes that one of the solutions for decreasing premiums is to have a concerted effort to motivate and encourage enrollment in health insurance.
“Republicans have sabotaged the exchanges and we know that many states have not wanted to participate in enrolling more people; therefore, the health risk pools of insurance markets were manipulated negatively by their efforts and that is one of the reasons why premiums and deductibles are higher for everybody,” he said.
As a former ER doctor, Raul Ruiz sees a different patient’s face with every threat that is made to healthcare; in light of the House’s failure to get a vote on the current legislation, Ruiz vows to do everything he can to make sure GOP policies do not negatively impact Americans.
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