Senator Hassan Meets Child with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Underscores Harmful Impact Graham-Cassidy Trumpcare Proposal Would Have on New Hampshire

Bodhi Bhattarai showing Senator Hassan his wheelchair lift in his family’s home

CONCORD – Today, Senator Maggie Hassan visited with Bodhi Bhattarai of Concord, who experiences spinal muscular atrophy and needs hundreds of thousands of dollars in lifesaving drugs every year. Senator Hassan also spoke with Bodhi’s mother Deodonne Bhattarai -- who the Senator also saw at an emergency health care field hearing she and Senator Shaheen held in June -- about how the Graham-Cassidy health care proposal would be devastating for children like Bodhi. 

“The latest Graham-Cassidy Trumpcare bill threatens the health and well-being of millions of Granite Staters and Americans like Bodhi,” Senator Hassan said. “If you have a pre-existing condition, like spinal muscular atrophy, you could once again be discriminated against with higher costs that make health coverage unaffordable, and the bill’s devastating cuts to Medicaid would force states to choose between slashing benefits, reducing the number of people who can get care, or both. It shouldn’t be necessary for people like the Bhattarai family to share their most personal health care stories – all in an attempt to get their elected representatives to work together in a bipartisan manner and not take coverage away – but I am grateful for their courage in showing how harmful this health care repeal proposal would be for families like theirs. I will continue to stand firm against any proposal that would result in higher health care costs for worse coverage."

Senator Hassan delivered remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday highlighting the harmful impact that the Graham-Cassidy bill would have on people across New Hampshire and America. As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Hassan participated this month in bipartisan health care hearings focused on stabilizing the individual health insurance market and lowering costs.

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