VIDEO: Luján on MS NOW — Extending ACA Tax Credits is the Best Way to Prevent a Major Price Hike to Millions of Americans

Watch Senator Luján’s full interview HERE.

Washington, D.C. — Just days before Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits are set to expire, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined MS NOW’s Chris Jansing to discuss Democrats’ plan to avoid skyrocketing health care premiums for hardworking American families and Republicans’ refusal to prevent this crisis.

Senator Luján stressed the impact of the Republican-made health care crisis on hard-working New Mexican families:

“I’ve been receiving phone calls and messages from seniors across New Mexico who are even looking at what’s happening to their Medicare plans. They’re worried.

“A single mom from New Mexico yesterday messaged me. She said, ‘Hey, if you need to know what’s going on, I just got my notice. And for me and my daughter, it’s going from $900 to $1300.’

Senator Luján underscored the fact that Americans are feeling the pain of this affordability crisis and need to be able to afford their health care:

“The American people are paying way too much with health insurance companies. I say we should hold health insurance companies accountable. This notion that doctors can’t make decisions about how to treat a patient because they need some bean counter somewhere that works for an insurance company to see if you should or shouldn’t get it—I trust my doctor. I don’t trust that insurance company. So, I’m all about reform and working on this as well.”

Senator Luján highlighted Republicans’ long history of not having a health care plan to bring to the table:

“But don’t forget, Chris, Republicans have voted over 70 times to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. They don’t like it. They don’t want it in place. Well, over the last ten years, where is their plan? Let’s come up with something here. Stop playing games with the American people. 

“And the last thing that I would say to Leader Thune if he was talking to me, Chris — he knows I survived a stroke three years ago. He knows that I was in an ICU bed. I didn’t know if I was going to live one day to the next. But what I’ve been reminded day in and day out is when you’re in those situations, the only thing you should be worried about when you’re in a bed like that is about getting better. Not worried about paying the bills.”

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