Knight says he’ll ‘closely monitor’ health care reform

Senate Republicans are still aiming to get a health care bill passed within the next few weeks to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Deemed the Graham-Cassidy proposal after principal authors Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), the bill leaves health care decisions up to states.

Under the proposed system, states would be given block grants to do with as they choose instead of the Federal government funding subsidies and Medicaid directly, the Washington Post said.

Congressman Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) has not stated what his view of the proposal is, but said he will be looking at what the Senate does in the coming weeks.

“The Senate has gone through many versions of a health care replacement over the past few months,” Knight replied in a statement to The Signal when asked for his opinion.

“I will continue to closely monitor the Senate’s actions and proposals. If the Senate passes something, then the House will do its part in reviewing the legislation,” he said.

Knight voted in favor of the House Republican’s repeal and replace bill in May and did not speak in favor of, or against, the Senate’s effort.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is slated to release their analysis on the bill sometime next week.

At a Constitution Day event on Sunday, about 60 local Democrats gathered in Santa Clarita for Constitution readings and to write postcards, knock on doors and make phone calls in opposition of Knight’s May health care vote and the Graham-Cassidy proposal.

“We want to urge Knight to oppose the Graham-Cassidy bill,” Michelle Kampbell, copresident of Women’s Initiative Network said. “I just feel like if he is going to put partisan politics first, he shouldn’t be where he is in office. We’ll vote him out.”

Canvassing and talking to constituents is the game plan for left-leaning groups in the next election cycle, CA25 United for Progress Chair Philip Germain told The Signal Monday.

“Getting in contact with voters on health care is going to be a primary concern for 2018,” Germain said. “Getting to know your neighbors can help swing an election.”

The most recent Republican health care proposal allows insurance companies to “do what they want,” Germain said.

“States are going to compete with each other and states can’t compete with each other because insurance companies are overarching across the country,” Germain said. “It is strikingly similar to Trumpcare.”

There is a renewed effort among Democrat groups to bring health care to the forefront of their conversations, Germain said.

Still, the progressive group’s chair said they are balancing concerns about immigration and tax reform as well.