Chicago, IL – Today, JB Pritzker released the following post on Medium to highlight the devastating impact TrumpCare would have on Illinois and Bruce Rauner’s inaction:

The basic right to quality and affordable health care is under assault by Donald Trump and Republicans in Washington. It started in the U.S. House with attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and now, the U.S. Senate is following suit with a bill that is just as mean-spirited.

Let’s be clear: this bill cannot become law. We must come together and fight against this attempt to dismantle the progress made by the ACA.

We know the numbers. Nearly 5.5 million Illinoisans with pre-existing conditions could lose access to life saving health care. 650,000 Illinoisans on Medicaid will be automatically stripped of their coverage by 2021. Premiums are expected to skyrocket. This bill could cost the state $40 billion dollars over the next 10 years. How does Bruce Rauner plan on having Illinois pay for that? Nationally, 22 million people will lose their health insurance.

But this isn’t just about numbers. This is about people’s lives. This is about parents unable to afford health care that could save their sick children. This is about families deciding between health insurance or putting food on the table. This is about low-income women with no health care provider to turn to once this bill guts Planned Parenthood. This is the worst possible statement about who we are and what we value.

While the future of health care in Illinois is debated in Washington, our state is missing what should be our most powerful voice. Governor Bruce Rauner isn’t offering any resistance to this bill and no path forward if it passes. He hasn’t reached out to Illinois lawmakers. He hasn’t commented on what will happen to Illinoisans on Medicaid. He hasn’t done much of anything.

This is made all the more troubling by the fact that the GOP plan gives more power to governors to shape health care. Rauner needs to tell Illinoisans what essential health benefits he intends to keep covering in Illinois. Does he think emergency services, maternity care, mental health and other services people rely on are essential?

Bruce Rauner’s silence is deafening.

There is no middle ground here for Bruce Rauner. Either he stands with Illinois families and defends their right to health care or he stands with Donald Trump and his effort to tear apart the progress we’ve made. This bill is too devastating, the stakes are too high, too much is at risk for Rauner’s inaction. Bruce Rauner needs to lead, and until he does we must fight to hold him accountable.

Make your voice heard. Call Bruce Rauner. Call your representatives in Washington. Fight with everything you have to stop this bill from becoming a law. Bruce Rauner won’t use his voice. Let’s stand together and use ours.

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