American Diabetes Association Voices Concern Over American Health Care Act

Leaders at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) continue to voice their concern with the American Health Care Act (AHCA) as the US House of Representatives prepare to vote on the legislation.¹

“On behalf of the nearly 30 million Americans living with diabetes and the 86 million more with prediabetes, the American Diabetes Association cannot support the AHCA as it is currently drafted, and urges all members of Congress to oppose this bill,” said ADA CEO Kevin L. Hagan in a statement.

Mr Hagan also noted that currently, “the AHCA falls short of the minimum standards for an ACA replacement,” as previously outlined by the ADA in a December 2016 press release.²

Among the main concerns held by ADA leaders is the AHCA legislation’s elimination of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which provides a budget for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s chronic disease prevention and health promotion programs.

In a March 22, 2017 letter to Congress,³ Lashawn McIver, MD, MPH, senior vice president of advocacy at the ADA appealed to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and other members of the US House of Representatives, citing the potential for serious health implications resulting from inadequate health care access for individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

A vote is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 24, 2017. 

Updated 3/24/17, 4:00 PM: House Speaker Ryan has pulled the ACHA bill, cancelling the scheduled vote.