By Chinta Strausberg, Chicago Crusader
If President Donald Trump is successful in ending the Affordable Care Act (ACT), Dr. Damon Arnold, former director of Illinois Department of Public Health late Tuesday night warned that it would negatively affect Trumps white base.
“Most of the people who voted for Trump… 67 percent of the people who actually benefited from the ACA were in rural America and they were white Americans,” said Arnold during the taping of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.’s “Upfront” show.
Jackson said there are 1 million people who are Medicaid eligible and a 250,000 have no health insurance. “If you undo the health infrastructure they will surly die,” warned Jackson.
In Illinois, Jackson said 200,000 jobs would be at stake if ACA is dismantled. “That’s just one state.” “It’s a very unconscionable thing” what Trump is doing to healthcare, Jackson said.
Joining Rev. Jackson on his “UpFront” TV on the Word Network, were: Arnold, former director of Illinois Department of Public Health who is now with Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Edgar Hernandez, assistant director, Capital Stewardship program for SEIU; Keith Horton, general counsel, Illinois State Treasurer’s office; and Helen Crawley-Austin, chief executive officer, Beyond Consulting Solutions.
Dr. Arnold added, “One of the things that the ACA has hidden in it is a portion of the funds goes to prevention and public health funds that go to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Arnold said those funds covers disease surveillance making sure that water is clean…”
