Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders spoke against the healthcare bill being considered by the U.S. Senate Sunday evening in Northern Kentucky. The former presidential candidate addressed a crowd estimated at 2000.
Sanders says he doesn't understand why Kentucky senator and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to replace the Affordable Care Act.
Under Kentucky’s implementation of the federal law, the number of uninsured in the state fell from 20% to just under eight percent.
Sanders: ”The truth is that no state in America has benefitted more from the Affordable Care Act more than this state.”
Sanders cited Kentucky's struggle with opioid addiction as another example of how the bill backed by McConnell will harm his own constituents.
Before Sanders’ evening address, supporters of the Affordable Care Act staged a rally on the Roebling Suspension Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio. The Sisters of Divine Providence of Kentucky were the first to arrive on the bridge with signs reading "Save Healthcare" and "Healthcare: A Life Issue.
Sister Paula said she’d like to see reasonable changes made to Obamacare rather than changes that take healthcare away from more people and provide tax credits for the wealthiest people in the world.
Sister Paula:” If congress is supposed to be representing us we’re concerned that they may not be listening or they don’t care.”
The Roman Catholic nun marched in solidarity with more than 200 people on the bridge, many carrying signs and chanting.
Wearing a bright orange vest and carrying a blue bag and sign ready to be unfurled over the bridge railing, Ann Dickerson led the group from Covington to the center of the bridge to rally with Ohioans.The fight for health care directly affects the Independence Kentucky resident.
Dickerson: ”I am a pancreatic cancer survivor. Pancreatic Cancer especially is not one not many people,can say they’re a survivor of is not…without Medicaid I would no longer have coverage and with the new bill I would no longer be able to get coverage because of the pre existing condition.”
Nurses,Doctors, Cancer survivors, men, women and children rallied . Seth Woods drove up to Covington from his home in Minerva, Kentucky. He showed up to send a message that the current health care bill proposed by the GOP will hurt his family.
Woods: “My brother is on Obamacare and so is my mom and if the current bill passes the way it is I don’t know how we’re gonna be able to get through.”
