A group of 16 constituents that arranged to meet with staff members at the West Chicago district office of U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton) Wednesday about their concerns with a repeal of the Affordable Care Act were abruptly told they would have to reschedule after staff realized a member of the press was present.
Sandra Alexander said she scheduled the meeting weeks ago and was stunned that they were turned away. "We are going to be respectful and see if they will change their minds," Alexander said.
After several minutes, no one returned to speak with the group. The constituents decided to hold the meeting in the lobby without the presence of Roskam’s staff.
"I am stunned at what happened," Alexander said.
Alexander, of Glen Ellyn, said she arranged to meet with Roskam’s district director Lee Campuzano and outreach coordinator Eddie Corrigan. Corrigan told The Beacon-News reporter before the group had arrived that the press is not allowed in private meetings with constituents.
"It is a meeting with constituents — we are not shutting down the press," Corrigan said. Corrigan said the meeting was planned between constituents and high level staff.
When the group arrived, another staff member behind a sliding glass window criticized the group for having invited the press and said that there was only to be about eight people at the meeting.
Rep. Roskam’s office cancels ACA meeting when reporter shows up Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News Constituent Sandy Alexander of Glen Ellyn speaks with the group that came for a planned meeting at U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam’s office Wednesday in West Chicago. The meeting was suddenly called off. Constituent Sandy Alexander of Glen Ellyn speaks with the group that came for a planned meeting at U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam’s office Wednesday in West Chicago. The meeting was suddenly called off. (Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News)
"We will reschedule the meeting," he told the group.
Alexander said she was not informed of any conditions of the meeting. She acknowledged that she did inform the congressman’s office that there would be about eight constituents present. Alexander said by Wednesday, she didn’t know how many people to expect and that she did prepare the group that it was likely not everyone would be invited into the meeting.
Alexander told the staff member that the reporter did not have to come into the meeting. The staffer walked away, and no one returned to provide any other explanation.
"He just ran off," Alexander said. "They never told me that the media could not be here, and the reporter was willing to leave so that we could have our meeting," she said.
"I am flabbergasted that Peter Roskam and his staff would turn us away," the constituent said. "They didn’t have the courtesy to listen to us. We are a peaceful group."
Rep. Roskam’s office cancels ACA meeting when reporter shows up Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News Constituent Dub Rutledge of Warrenville shares his story in the lobby of U.S. Rep Peter Roskam’s office Wednesday in West Chicago. Constituent Dub Rutledge of Warrenville shares his story in the lobby of U.S. Rep Peter Roskam’s office Wednesday in West Chicago. (Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News)
"I told him nobody communicated to me that the media could not come. I also told him that the press was willing to leave. This is Freedom of the Press — the media has a right to be here and we have the right to talk with the media. I really don’t understand what happened here today. Shame on Peter Roskam. It is very sad that this is how he feels about his constituents," Alexander said.
"(Congress) is talking about a replacement — they need to talk to us. It can’t be this hard to speak with your representative," she said.
Alexander said the group of constituents met one another through their mutual concerns for health care and do not represent any one organization. They decided to hold their meeting in Roskam’s small front lobby, with some people spilling into the hallway and having to hold the glass door open.
Alexander shared information about the Affordable Care Act and expressed their concerns of the potential negative impact the repeal would have on people’s lives.
She said since 2010, people on an employer’s health plan saw an end to annual and lifetime limits. She added that Illinois expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to an additional 340,000 people at a "minimal cost" to the state.
Alexander cited figures that 335,000 Illinois residents have health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. "This group experiences no discrimination from receiving insurance or being charged more based on pre-existing conditions. Women pay the same as men," Alexander said.
In addition, she stated that 2.1 million Illinois residents are covered by Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act strengthened the Medicare Trust Fund by extending its life by more than a decade and seniors experience lower costs.
Alexander referred to data that if there is a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act, 918,000 people in Illinois are estimated to lose their health coverage. If there is a partial repeal, an estimated 184,000 residents would lose coverage. She said it is believed that people with disabilities would be disproportionately affected if insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions.
The group urged the congressman to support the Affordable Care Act and to make an effort for improvements.
"We oppose any effort to refund portions of the ACA; we oppose changes to the ACA pre-existing condition provisions; we oppose any provision that would reinstate annual and lifetime caps that existed before ACA," Alexander said.
"No American should have to choose between death and bankruptcy because they can’t afford the cost of treatment. No member of Congress has to make such a choice," she said.
Several residents gave personal testimony of how the rollback would affect them and their families.
Aileen Eilert said she has experienced being turned down for insurance coverage, and when she did find an insurer, it was costly and had a high deductible. The Lisle woman said she signed up for insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
"I was covered for preventative care and had no lifetime maximum. If the ACA is repealed, I am at risk of not being able to get health insurance again," she said.
Mary Briggs of Carol Stream said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and underwent chemotherapy and surgery. She said the cancer returned two years ago, but this time in her liver, which requires her to take "expensive" medication.
"I am very concerned about the callous way politicians seem to be talking about just repealing the ACA. With a pre-existing condition, my health care depends on it," Briggs said.
Briggs was upset that they didn’t have their meeting as planned.
"My tears tell it all," she said. "I think being here has fallen on deaf ears. Roskam doesn’t represent us. I will remember this at the next election," she said.
Sheila Rutledge, of Warrenville, said she was disappointed the meeting did not happen. "I will reach out to my constituents about his lack of availability," said Rutledge, who is a Winfield Township precinct committeeman.
"He is famously hard to have a face-to-face meeting. He wants to control everything. He has robocalls but never Town Hall meetings," the constituent said.
"I am flabbergasted that in this time of turmoil that those on the side of the GOP are running from their constituents. I think that is not the country we should have to live in," she said.
Rutledge said the group wanted to voice their concerns and put faces on the story of how a repeal of the Affordable Care Act could devastate lives of people in Illinois.
"We want to put a face on the stories of people that would be impacted by this repeal. It is rather terrifying to think about it," Rutledge said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
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