LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Solidarity Sundays of Lake County is writing in response to the inaccurate statement, voiced by House Speaker Paul Ryan and parroted by conservative members of the House of Representatives, that the Affordable Care Act is collapsing.

This is a clear attempt to misdirect the public’s attention from the more serious rationale behind the Republican-controlled House of Representatives recently approved plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with an initiative that rations health care to fund tax cuts for the U.S.’s highest earners, while allowing even greater profits for the insurance industry.

This cynical move would allow states to seek federal waivers to ignore certain mandates in the Affordable Care Act — including the one blocking insurance companies from charging people more because of pre-existing conditions

In Lake County, with over 3,000 citizens enrolled in ACA and more than 16,500 enrolled in Medicare, this action could inflict punishing costs on people with ailments from asthma to cancer, as well as on pregnant women and seniors.

The Republican plan would create an opening for state-level programs that would allow less robust protections for those who rely on the individual market for coverage. 

Additionally, the new plan would cut $880 billion from Medicaid by 2026 causing the most devastating impact on those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid – those who are the poorest and sickest of all and need help with toileting, bathing and eating. 

Nonpartisan health advocacy groups, including the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society, reviewed the legislation and concluded it would weaken protections for people with ongoing medical issues.  And the American Association of Retired Persons stands squarely against this plan.

States will be able to seek waivers from requirements that insurers cover 10 “essential health benefits,” including maternity, mental health and prescription drugs.

Also, states could seek waivers from requirements that they charge their oldest customers no more than three times more than their youngest ones, potentially driving adults between 50 and 65 out of the health care system entirely.

The people of Lake County are fortunate to have representatives like senators Diane Feinstein and Kamala Harris and Congressmen Mike Thompson and John Garamendi working on our behalf in Washington.

We urge all community members to share their concerns with their representatives, stay abreast of the “Healthy California” bill (SB 562) working its way through the California legislature and get involved at the local level.

To learn more about Solidarity Sundays, visit www.solidaritysundays.org . To join our Lake County group, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Pamela Bordisso, Kelseyville
Nancy Harby, Lakeport
Sissa Harris, Clearlake
Shirley Howland, Clearlake
Cindi Koehn, Kelseyville
Carlene Leskar, Clearlake Oaks
Martha Mincer, Kelseyville
Kathleen Morgen, Hidden Valley Lake
Paula Mune, Upper Lake
Valerie Nixon, Kelseyville
Gillian Parrillo, Lakeport
Anne Rubin, Hidden Valley Lake
Kate Schmidt-Hopper, Hidden Valley Lake