WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp spoke at a Senate event to reinforce how severely the Republican health care bill – the American Health Care Act (AHCA) – would hurt North Dakota farmers, ranchers, and rural communities by gutting Medicaid, threatening rural hospitals, and making insurance costlier for those with pre-existing conditions like asthma or diabetes.

The event brought together rural health care providers and leaders from across rural America, including National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson, a native of Turtle Lake, N.D., and a former North Dakota agriculture commissioner. Johnson spoke about the serious concerns farmers and ranchers have with the current proposal.

Two out of three farmers and ranchers have a pre-existing condition, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research, underscoring how rural communities would be hurt by a Republican health care bill that would allow insurers to charge more for those with pre-existing conditions, which could make coverage unaffordable. With an average age of 58, farmers and ranchers would face higher costs under a Republican bill allowing insurers to charge older folks significantly more.

“At a time of low commodity prices and drought in North Dakota, more headaches and higher health costs are the last thing farm and ranch families need. Instead of making quality care more affordable, the Republican health care bill would rip health coverage from 30,000 North Dakotans and make coverage unaffordable for even more,” said U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp. “By gutting Medicaid, the bill would likely force rural hospitals to close. It would also let insurance companies charge older folks and those with pre-existing conditions even more for coverage. It’s outrageous that these decisions—which impact all of us—are being made by a handful of senators in secret, behind closed doors.”

A handful of senators are currently negotiating a backroom deal to overhaul the health care system without so much as a public hearing. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a health care bill in May that would rip coverage from 23 million Americans, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office—including more than 30,000 North Dakotans.

“Our current health care system isn’t without its problems, but the AHCA would only make matters worse,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “The bill would cause 23 million Americans to lose coverage, make premiums skyrocket for older people, and put health insurance out of reach for individuals with pre-existing conditions – including many farmers and ranchers. Affordable access to quality health coverage is a high priority for all Americans, especially farmers and ranchers, and I’ve been really disappointed and rather worried by the lack of transparency that has marked this entire process since the AHCA was first introduced in the House. The Senate is now drafting their version in secret with no outside input. Times are tough for farmers and ranchers, but they shouldn’t have to worry that their health care will go away or become unaffordable.”

About 300,000 North Dakotans have pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, cancer, and diabetes—or even being pregnant—and the Republican health care bill would erode protections that prevent them from being charged more for coverage. That could make coverage unaffordable for those who need it most. Cutting Medicaid could impact the more than 90,000 North Dakota children and folks with disabilities, seniors, and low-income families who get affordable, quality care through the program. Slashing Medicaid would threaten the solvency of rural hospitals, putting them at risk of closure.

Earlier this week, Heitkamp interviewed two health care experts on her podcast, “The Hotdish,” about how drastically the Republican health overhaul would harm North Dakota. Heitkamp interviewed Dr. Mary Wakefield, former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about how the bill would hurt rural communities, and spoke to Georgetown University professor Sabrina Corlette about how the administration is creating uncertainty in insurance markets, leading insurers to raise premiums for families.

Heitkamp has long said there are good pieces of the health reform law and parts that need to be fixed. Since 2013, she has regularly held her health care advisory board meetings comprised of health care leaders across North Dakota to talk about how to improve health care. Over the past three and a half years, she has offered many reforms to make the health reform law work better for families and businesses.