Claudia Tenney
Claudia Tenney

Today, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (R—NY-22) released the following statement regarding the cancellation of the vote on the American Health Care Act.

“Although the vote on the American Health Care Act was canceled today, I remain committed to repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a high quality, patient-centric plan that will improve and restore our healthcare system for all.

“Under Obamacare, American families are spending a larger share of their income on premiums and deductibles than ever before. Patients have been hurt, doctors have been burdened, and families and taxpayers are being crushed by this terrible law and its thousands of pages of onerous regulations. Our most vulnerable citizens– seniors, the hardworking middle-class, and veterans – are in worse shape now than they were before.

“Going forward, Congress should work together to find a plan that won’t leave anyone behind, especially our most vulnerable and those who are truly needy. Throughout this process, I will continue to listen to the concerns of my constituency and bring their feedback to Congress.”

By martha

38 thoughts on “Tenney issues statement on pulled vote on American Health Care Act”
  1. Rep. Tenney, millions of people in the US, tens of thousands in your very own district, have been able to access health care because of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Why won’t you acknowledge that fact in any of your public statements? The ACA has actually slowed down the rate of premium increases, although health care continues to be far more costly than the equivalent in countries that provide excellent, universal coverage for their citizens. If you are serious about providing a “high quality, patient-centric plan that will improve and restore our healthcare system for all”, perhaps you could reach across the aisle and work with Bernie Sanders and the other 72 co-sponsors of HR 676, The “Expanded & Improved Medicare For All Act”? Single payer healthcare is the best solution to our health care challenges. It’s time the US joined the rest of the civilized world. What freedom is there without the security of health care? I trust you will do the right thing and put people before politics.

  2. Do you publish many “stories” with so much nonsense? This is a story because it is primarily fiction. “Patient centric” must mean only 23 million will lose coverage and rates for elderly will only go 4.9999 times rather than 5x higher. When we talk of repeal and replace, I think we are talking about Claudia. I am not paid by anybody to oppose such poor representation. If Claudia is going to vote following her leaders, perhaps we should have sent a robot and saved her salary.

    1. This is not an article or story. It is a statement by Tenney in her own words, which is clearly denoted in the headline.

  3. Claudia Tenney, you just keep regurgitating the same inane GOP talking points. Can’t you think for yourself? Better yet, why don’t you try actually LISTENING to your constituents?

  4. Rep. Tenney,from what I read about the Republican health care bill, it was NOT any better, even worse than the ACA. Problems were noticed in the ACA when it began to be rolled out, yet the Republicans were not able to work with the Democrats to fix the problems. They constantly blocked any efforts to make amendments. Why does it have to be a one party idea? Why can’t everyone work together to get the best plan for everyone, not tax cuts for the rich. Stop lobbying with the pharmaceutical and health care CEOs. Do what’s right for the people.

  5. Rep. Tenny, health care costs were rising fact before the Affordable Care Act. They have continued to rise, but at least the ACA has provided subsidies that allow people to actually receive the care they need. The AHCA would have increased the actual out-of-pocket cost of health care for older Americans.
    The ACA is imperfect but has been a lifesaver for some of your constituents. We could indeed do better; we could come up with a “high quality, patient-centric plan that will improve and restore our healthcare system for all.” That would be a single-payer system like what the rest of the developed world has. Please support that.
    Sincerely,
    Joanna Hoyt, your constituent from Lacona NY

  6. Rep. Tenney, health care costs were rising fact before the Affordable Care Act. They have continued to rise, but at least the ACA has provided subsidies that allow people to actually receive the care they need. The AHCA would have increased the actual out-of-pocket cost of health care for older Americans.
    The ACA is imperfect but has been a lifesaver for some of your constituents. We could indeed do better; we could come up with a “high quality, patient-centric plan that will improve and restore our healthcare system for all.” That would be a single-payer system like what the rest of the developed world has. Please support that.
    Sincerely,
    Joanna Hoyt, your constituent from Lacona NY

  7. How about you ALL work together to come up with something BETTER. Trumpcare was no better and, actually much WORSE than Obamacare. How can you not see that?

  8. With a 17% popularity of the trump/Ryan health care bill and the growing popularity of ACA, I would think it would be a strong message to reach across the aisle and include the Democrats in IMPROVING and not REPEALING Obamacare.

  9. Representative Tenney – You cannot even pretend to represent the people who live in your district when you stubbornly refuse to meet with us. Hold an actual Town Hall!

  10. Rep. Tenney -we have emailed, called, stood outside of your offices in New hartford & Binghamton in the cold and a few among us, your Constituents, have actually had the opportunity to meet with you one on one – only to come away with the same conclusion – you have no interest in what we have to say. If, as you say, you are really interested in providing a ” high quality patient-centric” healthcare program For ALL – then maybe you Should Reach no farther than Across the aisle to embrace HR. 676 with 72 co-sponsors including Bernie Sanders is ready To go and most Americans, your employers, want!!!

  11. Representative Tenney, your above statement has the appearance of being authoritative and well thought out. However, I don’t believe it is either. Your platitudes are merely that, empty rhetoric, that happen to sound good to the ‘far right’. The plan you supported would have been a disaster for the poor, for seniors and for your district in general. No matter the faults of the ACA, your plan would have kicked thousands of your own constituents off of their vital health care insurance. You must do better to represent your entire district, than to simply play a supporting role to the ‘radical right’.

  12. Rep. Tenney, you continue to claim the ACA has hurt patients, and burdened doctors, businesses, and families. But you refuse to acknowledge the millions of people that have been have been helped and the lives that have been saved. Instead you want to take that lifesaving healthcare away to give millionaires and billionaires a tax cut and to allow insurance companies to spend even more money on their extravagant CEO salaries and shareholder dividends. You ignore the burden put on doctors, businesses, and families by the private, for-profit insurance companies, their denial of care and coverage in order to increase profits, and their complicated and wasteful bureaucracy. Instead you want to increase the burden by putting all of the costs on the individual, allowing companies to offer inadequate coverage, and increasing the complexity and waste through “al a carte” insurance plans.

    And finally, let us not forget your support for the Faso-Collins amendment which would have allowed the federal government to interfere in the business of NY State in order to forcefully shift the costs of rural NY healthcare from rural NYers to the cities. How can someone who claims to be for state’s rights, a small federal government, and “free-markets” be for this unconstitutional amendment and perfect example federal overreach?

  13. Prior to the ACA the cost of medical care in this country was rising at an unsustainable rate. It is still rising but much more slowly, so when you say people are paying more than ever before, that is true but misleading. They were paying more than ever before prior to Obama–he hasn’t turned the cost downward but the ACA has lessened the increase. And reuced the number of uninsured people considerably. If more Republican governors would expand Medicaid, the number insured would be even greater. You and Pres. Trump say you want to replace the ACA with something better, one “that won’t leave anyone behind, especially our most vulnerable and those who are truly needy.” Neither of you outlined such a system. The Trump/Ryan plan would make the vulnerable and needy more vulnerable and needy.

    And how can any plan work without a mandate, in which the young and healthy pay into the risk pool. If the old and sick were the only ones to pay in, it would never work. What do Canada, England, France, etc. do?

  14. It sounds like Tenney wants universal health care! That would be great news for the American people! (snark). How about rather than complaining about what we have and giving lame promises of a better policy some day – how about you and your colleagues get to work and create it??

  15. Throughout this process, I will continue to listen to the concerns of my constituency and bring their feedback to Congress.”

    1. But you have not been listening . When will you start hosting open meetings with voters ?
    2. Every American should have at least the medical insurance coverage that YOU and other members of Congress receive.

  16. Dear Mrs. Tenney,
    You do not care what YOUR constituents say, nor have you decided to have the courage to meet them. Considering how close you were to voting this ill conceived piece of legislation in, you should begin working on how you ARE going to improve the present ACA.
    Rep Reed has met and continues to meet with his people. Where are you?

  17. If this act came up for a vote and you voted for it then your statement is false. You should look at the current system and find ways to improve it. I also believe that if the ACA did not exsist then premiums would have gone up even further than they did.

  18. Why won’t you listen to the voices of your constituents? Do you see the polls? Does being a Republican necessitate having no regard for the middle and lower classes? Are you in the pockets of drug companies and the wealthy? ACA has benefited millions who had no health insurance and can continue to do so. The way to improve it would be to rein in pharmaceuticals and insurance companies as other countries have done successfully.

  19. Ms.Tenney,
    Reading your statement,”Throughout this process, I will continue to listen to the concerns of my constituency and bring their feedback to Congress.” is unsettling. You have yet to meaningfully and openly meet or engage with your constituents. Carefully vetted and controlled phone calls are insufficient. If you are literally in fear of being spoken to with emotion, you should not have sought out the position. If you do not wish to serve the people, please step aside, there are candidates who are eager to take your place who will and have actually sought out conversation with the people of this district.
    The health care legislation is only one issue. There are many more that have yet to even be brought to the table. The Southern Tier of NY faces many economic, social, educational, and environmental challenges. We need a representative who is ready and willing to face these challenges head-on, not hide away from their constituents.

  20. You have got to be kidding me. The state of healthcare in America is still wowful, but many more people have gotten coverage under the ACA. You never acknowledge this. Perhaps if you met with your constituency you would be able to get a better feel for how they feel. On both Thursday and Friday when I called your office I was told that you didn’t know how you were going to vote. It would be nice if you just gave your constituents an honest answer when they asked a question.

  21. Ms Tenney, we don’t buy it! You were all in on this and trying to sell this Trumpcare death march to us. With a 17% approval rating, neither did the rest of the country. One more thing, why are you avoiding having a town hall with us. We have some ideas.We really want to share them with you, so you might serve us better.

  22. You were willing to vote to replace the Affordable Care Act with something that wasn’t taking care of so many people it was ridiculous. And you expect us to believe that you have our best interests at heart, or that you are listening to your constituents? THE PEOPLE want something that covers more than ACA does… Not less, and not worse! Anything that doesn’t do that, but cuts taxes for the rich while it leaves millions on their own will never work. Tell Congress that, and then get to work with an improvement. How can so many other nations provide affordable health care to every person, yet the US leaves so many suffering? Don’t waste our time trying to push through half baked concoctions like the one you were going to vote YES for! Your constituents aren’t going for it!

  23. I was one of the people on your telephone hall . You said people went to get ACA and millions were put on Medicaid. You felt that was a burden to government. I would like to tell you if people were put on Medicaid they make under 16,000 a year. They are people who are poor and need Medicaid. We have always taken care of each other. That is what we do . You need to think about all the people , middle class and the poor. I feel you are talking care of the rich. You have alot of your constituents unhappy with your choices . Think 2018.

  24. Rep, Tenney’s comments make no sense. If she is committed to “High-quality” health care, there would be no way she could vote for the AHCA, especially with the Collins & Faso amendment that would both tell states what to do and would take care away from the poorest among us. If she were sincere she would be working with those who have drawn up designs for a single payer system. I’m not holding my breath. And when is the Congresswoman going to do her job and hold actual town hall meetings?

  25. There is something very disingenuous about saying you want to repeal ACC healthcare and replace it with something better, yet were willing to support a plan that was designed for the rich, would have cost many people their current health coverage, would have cost more, and did not cover some very basic healthcare needs. I am struck by the fact that you used an ad when you were running for office that accused your opponent of not being willing to stand up to her own party if something was not right. It seems very ironic, that that was exactly what you were about to do.

  26. Holy cow, Ms. Tenney. I’m beginning to wonder if you can read or hear. I don’t mean to be insulting, but LOOK at these comments. Your constituents KNOW YOU’RE WRONG. Why are you afraid of meeting face to face? Why are you repeating the same OUTRIGHT LIES? You need to respond to the people you represent. You NEED TO HOLY A TOWN MEETING!!

  27. Ms Tenney, the time for single-payer health care is NOW. You are paid to represent your constituents. Your constituents will benefit from single-payer health care. The nation will benefit from single-payer healthcare. The big medical corporations and overpaid execs who you have been supporting will still survive. They will just not be as obese in their wealth and greed. Work now toward this goal. We will be looking for evidence that you respect your constituents.

  28. As a member of the middle class, I can attest that, while our position in this class is increasingly precarious, we are NOT among the most vulnerable. Also, I would be interested in having Claudia clarify what differentiates a “truly needy” person from one who has needs that are unmet.

  29. Rep. Tenney,

    If you want to learn about what not having health insurance is like, please stop in to the Garabed Fattal Community Free Clinic at 225 Front Street, Binghamton some Thursday night between 4:30 and 7:30. Speak to our patients, the insurance reps who screen the patients to see if they qualify for anything, the volunteers and our Medical Director. The Clinic is staffed mostly by volunteers, except for three key positions. Residents who treat the patients fulfill clinical requirements by serving there. Listen to the patients who are over income by $20 a year and don’t qualify for assistance but cannot afford the insurance premiums. We serve the “working poor” mostly. I live in Binghamton and grew up in the Utica area. I am familiar with the demographics of your District. I know that there are a lot of working poor trying to make ends meet. Perhaps you should speak to some of them and learn how it is to be one paycheck from a crisis, like a punctured tire, broken refrigerator, etc. Hold Town Halls instead of hiding. You serve the whole District; not the Freedom Caucus or even the Republican Party. They did NOT put you in the office nor will THEY keep you there. If your constituents scare you because they are angry, I suggest you seek other employment.

  30. “Fraudia” Tenney is just that… Fraud. Voters need to look at her record in the NYS legislature and not be surprised by her actions now. Not only does she need to listen and interact with her constituents, but she should be yelling for an INDEPENDENT committee to investigate the legitimacy of the Trump presidency and the interference of Putin In our election. All new business needs to be suspended until this investigation finds the truth behind what has happened.

    I, too, have been calling her offices and protesting at the New Hartford office on these issues. It is time for her to put on her big girl panties and hold face to face town hall meetings or resign and find new work. Let someone else who is willing to do the job step in and truly represent the 22nd District.

  31. You need to pay attention to your constituents closely and do the right thing by them. The AHCA gave a tax break to the wealthy while putting 24 million people in jeopardy of having no coverage for healthcare. The comparison was made against the current law. So that would lead one to wonder just how bad the ACA actually is. Do your homework and listen to the people you serve. Single Payer is a proven way of insuring that everyone gets healthcare. As long as we continue the fantasy that market forces will bring down costs we will continue to have the highest per capata healthcare cost in the world while leaving many people out in the cold unable to obtain any form of care.

  32. Let’s examine Congresswoman Tenney’s statement.

    “Although the vote on the American Health Care Act was canceled today, I remain committed to repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a high quality, patient-centric plan that will improve and restore our healthcare system for all.

    …Our most vulnerable citizens– seniors, the hardworking middle-class, and veterans – are in worse shape now than they were before.”

    Congresswoman Tenney clearly indicated she was leaning toward voting for the American Health Care Act during her telephone town hall meeting held on the evening of March 22. Unfortunately that legislation did little or nothing to “improve and restore our healthcare system for all.”

    That is why it was opposed by the American Medical Association, National Physicians Alliance, American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals, America’s Essential Hospitals, Catholic Health Association of the United States, American Health Care Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Public Health Association, National Disability Rights Network, National Partnership Women and Families among many other organizations.

    One has to ask what does Congresswoman Tenney, a lawyer and
    small business owner, know about “high quality, patient centric care” that these organizations do not know.

    “seniors… are in worse shape than they were before.”

    Seniors over the age of 65 are insured under Medicare. Here’s what the official U.S. government site for Medicare states regarding The Affordable Care Act (ACA).

    1. Your Medicare coverage is protected.
    2. You get more preventive services, for less.
    3. You can save money on brand-name drugs.
    4. Your doctor gets more support.
    5. The health care law ensures the protection of Medicare for years to come. The life of the Medicare Trust fund will be extended to at least 2029—a 12-year extension due to reductions in waste, fraud and abuse, and Medicare costs…
    Source: http://www.medicare.gov/…/affordab…/affordable-care-act.html

    If you are having trouble discerning how this makes seniors
    worse off than they were before passage of the ACA, I completely understand.

    The National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare did as well. Their letter to The Honorable Kevin Brady, Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means, states “On behalf of the millions of members and supporters of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, I write to ask you to reject proposals being considered as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal that would harm seniors by driving up their out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and preventive services, and hastening Medicare’s insolvency.”

    “veterans are in worse shape than they were before.”

    Veterans are eligible to receive their health services from
    the Veterans Administration. What does that organization say
    about the ACA?

    The Affordable Care Act, also known as the health care law, was created to expand access to coverage, control health care costs and improve health care quality and care coordination. The health care law does not change VA health benefits or Veterans’ out-of-pocket costs.
    Source: http://www.va.gov/health/aca/index.asp

    If veterans are in “are in worse shape” than they were before, as Congresswoman Tenney contends, it clearly has nothing to do with the ACA, despite her unsubstantiated claim that it does.

    “the hardworking middle class … are in worse shape than they were before.”

    I would question whether the hardworking middle class are “our most vulnerable citizens”. The middle class may be shrinking but that was happening long before passage of the ACA. If you manage to make it to the middle class you are doing better than many Americans. Nonetheless, it was not the “most vulnerable citizens” or the “hard working middle class” who were going to be the beneficiaries of the American Health Care Act.

    According to an assessment by the Joint Committee on Taxation, a nonpartisan panel that provides research on tax issues, it was the rich who would benefit the most. Their analysis found that –
    “by 2020, the repeal of the two tax provisions [included in
    the ACHA] would save about $15.9 billion a year for those with incomes of $1 million or more. By 2026, the final year of the analysis, they would combine to save that group a little more than $20 billion a year.

    People making $200,000 to $999,999 a year would also get sizable tax cuts. In total, the two provisions would cut taxes by about $274 billion during the coming decade, virtually all of it for people making at least $200,000, according to a separate assessment by the committee.”

    Those numbers are staggering to me and it also makes clear where the House Republican leadership and Congresswoman Tenney’s sympathies lie. It is not with “our most vulnerable citizens.”

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