U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th District, Friday defended both the Affordable Care Act and her support of a Republican bill that would undermine parts of the bill.
Speaking after a press conference at Danbury Hospital that will give the Western Connecticut Health Network a $1.5 million federal grant to create a preventive care program, Esty said the Affordable Care Act – aka Obamacare – is important. She said she’s been working with state and local officials to make it work and to help people who need medical insurance get it.
At the same time. Esty said, there are serious problems in the act that need to be fixed. One is to address the needs of people who might lose the individual health care plans they have plans that no longer meet the federal standards set under Obamacare.
“I’ve had a lot of calls to my office about this,” she said.
The Republican bill that Esty supports would allow insurance companies to not only renew these policies, but sell new ones. Esty was the only member of the Connecticut congressional delegation to support it.
President Barack Obama - while allowing that people who like these polices can keep them for a year – has said he will veto legislation that will allow insurance companies to sell new versions of these policies.
Esty said the Affordable Care Act has flaws. Her vote to support the GOP bill should be seen as an acknowledmewnt of the work that needs to be done to repair those flaws.
She also said she can’t control the legislation brought up in the House of Representatives.
“I’m a freshman and a member of the minority party,” she said.