Washington, D.C. – After a dramatic late night vote to repeal key provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) failed 49 to 51, Senate Republicans announced today that the Senate would move on to new legislation. While the fight to defend the ACA is far from over, the National Women’s Health Network is elated that the Senate rejected three separate repeal packages put forward by Republican leadership, and calls on Senate leaders to negotiate a bipartisan package to stabilize ACA markets.

“Whether it’s repeal-only, Trumpcare, or a ‘freedom to lose insurance’ bill, the last few days have proven that Republicans don’t have the votes to push through their partisan attack on women’s health, thanks to the thousands of women and men nationwide who stood up to protect our care,” said Cindy Pearson, Executive Director. “But we know our fight isn’t over. Now, Congress must take up a bipartisan package to restore stability to ACA marketplaces that have been rocked by GOP sabotage.”

According to the Congressional Budget Office, each of the bills rejected by the Senate would have resulted in millions of people losing their health insurance. The Trumpcare repeal-and-replacement package rejected by the Senate 43 to 57 earlier in the week would have gutted Medicaid’s long-standing guarantee of coverage. Two of the repeal bills rejected by the Senate would have eviscerated the ACA’s consumer protections. And all three bills would have blocked women from using Medicaid to access routine care at Planned Parenthood.

The NWHN applauds Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McCain, and the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, for listening to their constituents and rejecting these harmful attacks on our health care.

The National Women's Health Network has worked alongside coalition allies and members of Congress for years to protect and expand access to essential health care, ensuring preventive services like birth control, prenatal care and well-woman visits were covered under the Affordable Care Act. For more information about NWHN’s work to ensure universal access to health care that meets the needs of diverse women, visit our website: https://nwhn.org/raisingwomensvoices/

The National Women’s Health Network is supported by our members and by choice we do not accept financial support from drug companies or medical device manufacturers. We bring the voices, concerns, and needs of women consumers to policy and regulatory tables.

Sarah Christopherson, MA, is the Legislative Director for the social justice campaign, Americans for Tax Fairness, and the NWHN’s former Policy Advocacy Director. Her 10 years working for Congress and her deep knowledge of health policy and consumer protection make her the NWHN’s issue area expert on federal health reform implementation and defense, drug and device safety and efficacy, and sexual and reproductive health.

Read more from Sarah Christopherson.