Health care advocates to hold ‘stakeouts’ at several NJ Republican congressional offices Thursday and Friday

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith is one of several Republicans health care advocates are targeting this week.

Health care advocates and New Jersey Citizen Action will be “staking out” the offices of six Republican Member of Congress from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 16 and Friday, March 17 to protest the proposed American Health Care Act, which they are calling “Trumpcare.”

The Congressional Budget Office’s official assessment of the American Health Care Act, the House Republicans’ proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act, estimates an increase of 24 million people without health insurance by 2026 under the Republican plan, while forecasting a $337 billion in deficit reduction over the same period. High earners and insurance and medical device companies would receive tax breaks as part of the plan.

Opponents of the proposed GOP health care bill will hold vigils outside the following six offices Thursday and Friday:

U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen – Morristown (30 Schuyler Pl)
U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance – Westfield (425 N Ave E)
U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance – Flemington (361 NJ-31)
U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur – Marlton (535 E Main St)
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith – Freehold (112 Village Center Dr)
U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo – Mays Landing (5914 Main St)

The schedule:

Thursday, March 16
8-9 a.m. Opening Prayer
Noon-2 p.m. Solidarity Lunch
4 p.m. Honoring Health Care Providers
5 p.m. Health Care Sing Along
6 p.m. Closing Prayer

Friday, March 17
8-9 a.m. Opening Prayer
10 a.m. – Congressional staff appreciation, deliver baked goods
Noon-2 p.m. Solidarity Lunch
5 p.m.  Best Sign Contest
6 p.m. Closing Prayer

7 Comments

  1. Why? Obamacare is a disaster and has nothing to do with providing healthcare, but is about control of money. When I went to Rush Holt’s meetings to voice concerns about Obamacare we weren’t even allowed to speak. If Obamacare is so great why aren’t Congress and all Federal, State and local employees covered by it?

    1. The US is the only wealthy industrialized democracy that does not have a universal health care system. All the other wealthy industrialized democracies have some form or version of universal healthcare: everyone is covered, no one goes bankrupt from medical costs or from overpriced drugs, as is the case in the US. Obamacare was an attempt to alleviate a horrible situation in the US, almost 50 million uninsured (before Obamacare), hundreds of thousands of bankruptcies from medical bills and rising premiums. Obamacare was a step in the direction of easing a bad situation. It did cover 20 million more people and helped the poor and disabled. The GOP fought any reforms tooth and nail. The GOP solution is don’t get sick and if you do get sick, then pray. I was for expanded Medicare for all, Obamacare was too much of a sell-out to the insurance companies but better than nothing.

      1. Have you tried getting care in any of those above mentioned countries with universal healthcare? Good luck! The Republicans, as much as I despise them, had nothing to do with Obamacare. They did try to make it better, but Democrats changed the rules to push it through. Then the Democrats gave out dozens of waivers to their friends and various union voters. You are right, 20 million people got insurance, but not healthcare.

        1. T. R. Reid, the journalist, lived in many of those countries with his family and found the care to be very good. We have Medicare for seniors in the US and the care is good, certainly better than before 1965, when Medicare was enacted. We should have expanded and improved Medicare for all. It will never ever happen with the GOP which has always hated Medicare.

          1. If Reid or a family member had been diagnosed with a major illness they would have been back in the US STAT! When I went to the UK in May, my passport was stamped saying I couldn’t use any of their services.

            1. If a British tourist comes to the US and gets sick, he/she will have to pay for the needed care. I don’t know your particular situation, but if you had had an accident in the UK they would not let you die in the street but you would have to pay for the care in most cases. The Brits are concerned about medical tourists who come to the UK for free health care, thus the new restrictions on tourists. We have tens of millions of Americans with no health insurance. It was worse before Obamacare.

              1. How many tourists pay for their care? How many illegals pay for their care? The U.K. Is now just waking up to this issue. Hopefully the US will follow as EMTALA only requires hospitals to stabilize patients. I work in healthcare and daily see people suck our system dry with no hope of payment.

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