Some Republicans vow to repeal the Affordable Care Act without an immediate option, but an organization says that move would lead to an increase in hunger nationwide, including in Missouri. Rev. David Beckmann with an organization called Bread for the World, which aims to change policies involving hunger and poverty, says hunger has increased in Missouri more than in other states.
“Big changes are going to happen in our country, no matter who you voted for. I don’t think anybody voted to have more hungry kids and that doesn’t necessarily need to be the outcome but that could be the outcome,” says Beckmann. “It’s really important to know what the plan is when they repeal the Affordable Care Act and not put all those people at risk. The lack of health insurance has been a significant cause of hunger in our country.”
The Census Bureau says one in seven Missourians struggle with accessing food.
“Millions of people have access to health insurance. So, I think it has contributed to the reduction in poverty and in hunger that we’ve seen over the last couple of years,” says Beckmann.
Opponents of the Affordable Care Act say the system is overregulated and is causing drastic increases in insurance premiums.
Beckmann says the law could be repealed on Inauguration Day. Logistically, that would be difficult to do because of the day’s events. Some Republicans are considering delaying implementation of a repeal for three years.
