Paul, Grayson Pass Right-Wing Litmus Test

Today the DSCC issued this press release:

A day after President Obama signed into law historic health care reforms which will close the donut hole for seniors, allow children up to age 26 to stay on their parent’s insurance, end appalling insurance practices, lower the deficit, and increase access to health insurance for 654,000 Kentucky residents, Republican Senate candidates Trey Grayson and Rand Paul have pledged to take away these reforms if elected. Both of these Republican candidates have pledged to do everything in their power to repeal health care reforms and go back to the status quo.

“It’s official, Trey Grayson and Rand Paul have fallen victim to the right-wing litmus test by pledging to take away health care reforms from thousands of Kentucky residents,” said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee National Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy. “If Grayson and Paul want to look Kentucky voters in the eye this fall and pledge to take away health care reforms that will afford coverage to 654,000 Kentuckians, eliminate the doughnut hole for seniors, offer tax credits to small businesses, lower the deficit, and end appalling insurance practices – then good luck to them.”

The far-right Club for Growth has been pressuring Republican candidates to sign a pledge to repeal health care reform this fall. The pledge states, “I hereby pledge to the people of my district/state to sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.” The pledge can be found at http://www.repealit.org/.

Under health care reform in Kentucky:

• 654,000 residents who do not currently have insurance and 196,000 residents who have nongroup insurance could get affordable coverage through the health insurance exchange.


• 444,000 residents could qualify for premium tax credits to help them purchase health coverage.


• 724,000 seniors would receive free preventive services.


• 129,000 seniors would have their brand-name drug costs in the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” halved.


• 44,800 small businesses could be helped by a small business tax credit to make premiums more affordable.