Women’s Group Targets Sen. Flake With Visual Projection Demanding He Vote No on Health Care Repeal

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR: Wednesday, May 31 – Friday, June 2
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com | (914) 523-9145

THIS WEEK: Women’s Group Targets Sen. Flake With Visual Projections Demanding He Vote No on Health Care Repeal

UltraViolet Says Trumpcare Hurts Women, Urges Senators Heller, Flake, Murkowski, Collins and Cassidy to Oppose the Repeal of the Affordable Care Act

UltraViolet, a national women’s advocacy group, has commissioned a series of projections to be displayed on buildings in Reno, NV; Phoenix, AZ; New Orleans, LA; Anchorage, AK; and Portland, ME urging Senators in those states – specifically Senator Jeff Flake, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Bill Cassidy, Senator Susan Collins and Senator Dean Heller – to oppose the repeal of the Affordable Care Act arguing that Trumpcare hurts women.

The actions come as members of Congress are home for recess after Republicans in the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act in the start of their effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

RENO, NEVADA:
WHEN: Wednesday, May 31st. 9:30pm LOCAL TIME
WHERE: **For the exact location, please reach out the local contact listed below.
MESSAGE: “Senator Heller, Trumpcare attacks women, Vote NO”
LOCAL CONTACT: Bill Moyer, 206-356-9980

PHOENIX, ARIZONA:
WHEN: Wednesday, May 31st. 7:50pm LOCAL TIME
WHERE: **For the exact location, please reach out the local contact listed below.
MESSAGE: “Senator Flake, Trumpcare attacks women, Vote NO”
LOCAL CONTACT: Eric Ross, 860-605-0776

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA:
WHEN: Thursday, June 1st. 8:20pm LOCAL TIME
WHERE: **For the exact location, please reach out the local contact listed below.
MESSAGE: “Senator Cassidy, Trumpcare attacks women, Vote NO”
LOCAL CONTACT: Eric Ross, 860-605-0776

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA:
WHEN: Friday, June 2st. 12:30am LOCAL TIME
WHERE: **For the exact location, please reach out the local contact listed below.
MESSAGE: “Senator Murkowski, Trumpcare attacks women, Vote NO”
LOCAL CONTACT: Bill Moyer, 206-356-9980

PORTLAND, MAINE:
WHEN: Thursday, June 1st. 7:45pm LOCAL TIME
WHERE: City Hall. 389 Congress Street, Portland, ME.
MESSAGE: “Senator Collins, Trumpcare attacks women, Vote NO”
LOCAL CONTACT: Randy Hazelton, 207-431-1762

Experts warn that the American Health Care Act may result in a loss of health insurance for around 24 million people and undermine protections for those with pre-existing conditions. Time gaps in insurance coverage would force many to pay large penalties over the next year, making quality coverage more difficult to attain. The legislation would also ban Medicaid patients from using their insurance at Planned Parenthood clinics and disallow individuals from using tax credits to purchase health insurance plans that cover abortion.

More than 81,500 patients received care at Planned Parenthood centers in Alaska, Arizona, Louisiana, Maine, and Nevada in 2016.

Experts also warn that the American Health Care Act would lead to pregnancy discrimination, meaning that women who have undergone a C-section or suffered from postpartum depression could be classified as having a pre-existing condition and be subject to premium discrimination.

Karin Roland, chief campaigns officer at UltraViolet, explained:

“Plainly and simply–the vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act was a declaration of war on women. With that vote, Republicans inched closer to bringing women back to a time before reproductive health care access and affordable health care coverage.

“The American Health Care Act will quite literally cost hundreds of thousands of women their lives, by eliminating guaranteed coverage of life-saving cervical and breast cancer screenings, abolishing comprehensive maternity care and domestic violence screenings, ‘defunding’ Planned Parenthood, and limiting women’s access to birth control and emergency contraception. For women and their families, the benefits provided by the Affordable Care Act are an indispensable lifeline that have allowed them to safeguard their health and plan their families to secure their economic prosperity.

“But the GOP healthcare plan is more than just an assault on women, it is the beginnings of a serious national healthcare crisis—one which will cut off millions of Americans from health insurance coverage. The Republican American Health Care Act will make it impossible for states to continue Medicaid expansion and sets the stage for deep cuts to Medicaid funding for seniors, low-income families, and children. The plan would increase healthcare costs, make coverage less affordable for all Americans, and spell disaster for those with pre-existing conditions—giving the wealthiest tax-cut bonuses while the average American suffers.

“Repealing the Affordable Care Act and replacing it with the Republican plan isn’t a solution, it’s an impending crisis for millions of Americans who can’t afford to lose their healthcare. United States Senators must oppose this bill and protect American families.”

To read stories from UltraViolet members who rely on the Affordable Care Act for health insurance coverage. Each poster is available to talk to media about their stories: http://cantaffordtolose.com

# # #

UltraViolet is an online community of over 1,000,000 women and men who want to take collective action to expose and fight sexism in the public sector, private sector and the media. Find out more at WeAreUltraViolet.org.

Support OUR WORK - DONATE!