Vice President Mike Pence held a "listening session" on Monday for Americans who have been in some way harmed by the consequences of Obamacare.
Pence held the meeting along with White House counselor Kellyanne Conway and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verma, Yahoo reported. But the centerpiece of the meeting was the everyday citizens, who came to relate stories of how Obamacare had hurt them or their families.
These hard working men & women are the real life stories behind Obamacare's disastrous numbers. Their voices must be heard #RepealAndReplace pic.twitter.com/ACMxjgzPNy
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) June 27, 2017
"I think one of the things that keeps ringing in my mind, that I heard over the last eight years was, affordable health care for everyone. I want to know who everyone is, because it wasn't me. It wasn't me," said Connie Mays of Ohio.
"And it isn't my family, because they're struggling too," a teary-eyed Mays continued. "My brother- and sister-in-law are having a horrible time, and ... it's very disheartening. So I'm begging you, please, please, whatever it takes, we've got to get this fixed. It's destroying people. It's destroying me. I own a home, and if I've got to start paying four or five thousand-dollar penalties, I'm going to lose everything I have."
One mother shared the story of her three-year-old son, who had already been through three insurance plans.
"Montgomery just turned three, and in three years, he has been with two different insurance companies, and three different plans. So the whole if you like your plan, you can keep it, I would say that's a joke, but it's no laughing matter," Marjorie Weer of South Carolina said.
Pence asked how important the attendees believed it was for Congress to get a repeal and replace bill to President Donald Trump's desk.
"Move now!" said Chris McCullough of Louisiana. "Go right now. Don't wait until the meeting's over. Go get it done. Get rid of Obamacare, let us buy insurance across state lines. That way we can pick and choose what we need. It's hurting a lot of people, and there's no recourse for anything."
"We can't afford to use our insurance ... I couldn't afford to go to the doctor's, so I finally after five weeks went to a walk-in clinic, where it's really cheap compared to an office visit with a doctor," said Julie Champine of Wisconsin. "I ended up being diagnosed with a sinus infection, ear infection, and strep throat. So I have insurance that I can't even use, even when I'm really sick. That's just crazy."
"And that's Obamacare," Pence said.
"That is Obamacare," Champine agreed.