East Central Reporter

U.S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) sees his vote in favor of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) as a fulfillment of his promise to repeal measures of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) while preserving some of its protections, a press release from his office said recently.

“For seven years, I’ve fought to repeal all of Obamacare’s mandates, middle class taxes, abortion subsidies, insurance company bailouts, and unaffordable, one-size-fits-all health insurance plans,” Shimkus said, according to the release. “I also assured my constituents that our replacement would include protections for patients with pre-existing conditions. My vote today does all of the above.”

Shimkus and other Republican lawmakers have praised the AHCA for removing many of the requirements under Obamacare, which they criticized as trying to create a homogeneous solution to an issue that presents varied challenges to Americans and Illinoisans.

“Passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) is a win for President Trump, but more importantly it’s a win for the millions of Americans who are forced to buy a product they can’t afford to use,” Shimkus said. “The AHCA will empower states to offer, and patients to choose from, a broader range of affordable insurance plans that better fit each individual and family’s unique needs.”