The Daily Orange is a nonprofit newsroom that receives no funding from Syracuse University. Consider donating today to support our mission.

With Amy Coney Barrett now on the Supreme Court, the health care of millions of Americans is in jeopardy. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments against the Affordable Care Act, which provides coverage to 22 million Americans, in early November. Twelve million Americans have already lost their employer-sponsored health insurance because of the global pandemic causing record job loss, and President Donald Trump is still trying to strip people of their insurance. If the Supreme Court decides to strike down the Affordable Care Act, millions more will go uninsured as COVID-19 cases continue to spike across the country. 

Barrett’s confirmation to the Supreme Court has also made American women fear they could lose access to safe and affordable health care. With Barrett on the Court, Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortions, could be overturned. Women’s reproductive health care could be drastically limited, which would be bad for everyone, not just women. Additionally, if the Affordable Care Act is successfully dismantled, health care plans would no longer be required to cover contraception.  

The fate of our health care will be decided in Washington, D.C. soon. As residents of central New York, who do we want fighting for our health care, Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) or Democrat Dana Balter? 

The candidates for New York’s 24th Congressional District have drastically different stances on health care.

Katko endorsed Trump and has voted to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. Katko also voted to defund Planned Parenthood five times, breaking a campaign promise he made in 2014. Planned Parenthood provides essential health care services to the women and men of Syracuse, including many students and low-income residents. Katko clearly is not fighting to ensure every resident of New York’s 24th Congressional District has access to safe and affordable health care.

Enough is enough. We deserve a representative who actually cares about our health care; Balter is that candidate.

She believes that health care is a human right, not a privilege only wealthy elites like Trump can afford. She knows what it’s like to live uninsured and to face crippling medical debt because she, like far too many Americans, has gone through it.

If elected, Balter will work tirelessly to ensure everyone has access to affordable health care. She will partner with former Vice President Joe Biden to make sure people have a choice between public and private insurance, to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and to protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. 

Balter will also fight to protect women’s health care. The president of Planned Parenthood has called her a “champion for people’s access to full, equitable and comprehensive health care,” according to auburnpub.com. She will stand up for millions of women by ensuring their access to permanent, affordable, quality health care. 

I urge everyone to vote for Balter for Congress. The future of our health care depends on it. 

 

Lily Biagi

Political Science, ‘23

Published on November 1, 2020 at 9:13 pm