WASHINGTON – Senate Minority
Leader Charles Schumer (D, NY) Wednesday proposed that President Trump
and a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers sit down together and
develop a new bipartisan healthcare bill.
The senator said the current legislation would eviscerate Medicaid funding,
which would be devastating in the fight against the opioid epidemic.
“Many don’t know this: Medicaid is the way to beat the opioid
epidemic, especially in New York where tens of thousands of New Yorkers
with substance abuse and mental health challenges gain access from Medicaid,”
he said. “The healthcare bill, which proposes an $800 billion cut
to Medicaid won’t bring more beds to treatment centers, it will
slash opioid treatment.”
Schumer said a new healthcare bill must be developed to treat opioid
abuse much better by not cutting Medicaid, get rid of tax cuts for the
wealthy, reduce costs of premiums, getting better care for people.
