Healthcare reform will once again be one of the central issues that will be addressed during the 2020 presidential election cycle.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D), who represents Florida’s 26th congressional district in Miami, appeared on CBS’ “Facing South Florida” with Jim DeFede, where the freshman congresswoman and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus address the healthcare problems Americans continue to face.
Rep. Mucarsel-Powell said that House Democrats have sent bipartisan legislation to the U.S. Senate “that would lower family’s premiums today,” adding that the House has also sent over legislation that would “lower prescription drug prices.”
Mucarsel-Powell made an interesting remark about the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, saying that she wants to “work together” to find solutions to “alleviate the crisis” with the current healthcare system.
Back when the ACA was signed into law by then-President Barack Obama, Democrats said the law was flawless and the next best thing to sliced healthcare bread.
Republicans, on the other hand, sounded the alarms that the healthcare law was too expensive for all Americans and that it would raise premiums and deductibles to everyone under the law.
Democrats dismissed Republicans as anti-Obama fear-mongering, but years later Republicans were proven right about Obamacare.
Mucarsel-Powell then backed up the Republican case against the ACA, saying that the “premiums are very high” and unaffordable.
“People can’t get appointments with their doctors, and when they do, their premiums are so high, their copayments are so high, their deductibles are so high, that they can’t afford it,” said Mucarsel-Powell “Many people just wait, and then it’s too late.”
Even though she did not say she supported the “Medicare for All” healthcare measure being pushed by her Congressional Progressive Caucus, Mucarsel-Powell did come out in support of “protecting the bare minimum” remaining of the ACA.
“We have to make major improvements to the ACA,” said Mucarsel-Powell “I as a congressperson have to purchase, I have to participate in the ACA, that is the insurance plan that I have. So, believe me, I know the premiums are very high and we need to fix some of those issues.”
While she does not have 2020 primary challenger, Mucarsel-Powell will face off with the winner of the contested Republican primary between Cuban immigrant and restaurateur, Irina Vilarino, and Miami-Dade County Firefighter Omar Blanco.
