Supporters of Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown criticized his Republican opponent Jim Renacci’s voting record on health care at an event in Dayton on Wednesday, calling on him to be more supportive of programs like Medicaid in the future.
Montgomery County Commissioner Deborah Lieberman said the American Health Care Act, an attempt to partially repeal the American Care Act that Renacci supported in 2017, would have had devastating effects in Ohio.
“This legislation, which Congressman Renacci voted for, would have gutted Medicaid expansion and made it harder for Ohioans to get access to the health care they need,” Lieberman said.
During his gubernatorial campaign last fall, Renacci told this publication that Medicaid expansion was not financially sustainable. Renacci said he would freeze Medicaid enrollment, add work requirements and focus the service on “the elderly, children, the indigent and the disabled.”
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Renacci recently voted in support of a bill that would allow Medicaid to pay for opioid and cocaine addiction treatment in certain inpatient facilities.
Dr. Donald Nguyen, a pediatric urologist and health care activist, said the health care policies supported by Renacci would have devastating effects on people with pre-existing conditions.
“This person may be one of the richest members of Congress, but he sure does not look like someone in Congress that will look out for the common Ohioans, for the children and babies that I take care of,” Nguyen said.
Lieberman encouraged Renacci to take more of an active stance on Medicaid and support future expansions.
“Congressman Renacci, if you are truly serious about serving Ohioans, all eyes are on you,” Lieberman said.
In a letter to Renacci from local leaders and medical doctors from around the state, cosigners demanded the Renacci oppose cuts to Medicaid.
Congressman Renacci’s team slammed Brown’s record on health care in response.
“Career politician Sherrod Brown has had 25 years in Congress to fix health care and has failed,” Renacci for Senate Senior Communications Advisor Leslie Shedd said. “Instead, he helped force through a disastrous government takeover of healthcare that drove premiums through the roof while slashing benefits.”
Twenty states and the Department of Justice are working to nullify the Affordable Care Act’s guarantee of coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, according to the letter.
Date: July 25, 2018
