WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on Wednesday made the following statement following reports that the Trump administration hired outside contractors to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help Administrator Seema Verma’s personal brand:
“Trump promised to ‘drain the swamp’ but his administration is doing the opposite. CMS slashed the ACA’s health insurance navigator budget and threw that money into the pockets of their top allies. That’s corruption in plain sight. This hurts all Americans that are trying to get comprehensive health care coverage,” said Murphy. “Whether it be the lawsuit trying to destroy the ACA, the cuts to the navigator program, or the funneling of federal funds to Trump loyalists, Trump's actions to undermine our nation's health care system must be dealt with by Congress."
Murphy wrote an op-ed in the CT Mirror at the start of this open enrollment season highlighting the importance of the Affordable Care Act and signing up for ACA-compliant health care coverage. Murphy also joined Democratic colleagues in calling for passage of the Expand Navigators’ Resources for Outreach, Learning, and Longevity (ENROLL) Act to restore funding for the Navigator program that helps American families get the information and support they need to find a quality health care plan.
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