Latest Effort to Repeal the Affordable Care Act fails and millions will keep coverage, thanks to the actions of workers

Last week, SEIU 1021 members joined with allies at emergency phone banks to stop Senators Lindsey Graham, Bill Cassidy, and Dean Heller’s last-ditch effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  Thanks to our efforts, along with allies throughout the country, Congress did not have the votes required to strip away our health care.

BART Computer Support Coordinator and Professional Chapter President Olivia Rocha is one of many members who showed up to phone banks last week to put a stop to this repeal. “Congress is hoping America is not paying attention. This is important.”

“I especially want to help save Medicare for older people. Our parents, our grandparents are counting on us,” continued Olivia. “It was a good experience hearing how engaged the people I called were. They absolutely wanted to call their member of Congress to tell them to stop the repeal, and couldn’t wait for me to give them the number.”

Una Mont, a Physical Therapist at Highland Hospital in Oakland, also attended. “I felt it was very important to be involved. This not only affects the patients that I treat, but ultimately touches all of us in one way or another. We will all be impacted.”

Our success in stopping this repeal is due to your calls to members of Congress and willingness to stand up for healthcare access. But our fight continues. Congress will be voting on a new federal budget soon that anticipates $1.5 trillion in cuts to Medicaid over the next decade, jeopardizing our entire health system and thousands of jobs.

We know what works. Congress hoped we weren’t paying attention, but we are and we’re doing something about it.