Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released the following statement in response to the House Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, which has provided thousands of Mainers will access to affordable, high quality health care:

“The Affordable Care Act has saved thousands of Mainers from losing their lives or going bankrupt simply because they got sick. Republicans have had seven years to come up with an alternative health care plan that preserves the progress we've made under the ACA —one that would not take us back to a time when only those who had employer-sponsored insurance or a clean bill of health could get coverage. But after all of this time, they’ve come up with a plan that will cost older Americans up to five times more, charge the uninsured 30 percent more to buy coverage, defund Planned Parenthood, cut Medicaid significantly, and still has no price tag. I look forward to an open debate on this proposal and expect my Republican colleagues not to forget the millions of Americans for whom the Affordable Care Act has been a lifesaver, including thousands in Maine who’ve shared their stories with me.”

In January, Congresswoman Pingree asked her constituents to share their ACA stories and within a few days more than 1,000 were submitted. To read a sampling of these stories, visit https://pingree.house.gov/ProtecttheACA.