BOSTON, Sept. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to legislation proposed by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Andrew Dreyfus, President & CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, released the following statement:

"As the Senate continues its efforts on health care reform, we have serious concerns about the proposed Graham-Cassidy legislation, which calls for significant cuts to Medicaid and contains provisions that would allow states to remove protections for those with pre-existing conditions. 

The bill would destabilize state insurance markets and undermine the ability to provide quality, affordable coverage and care to everyone, regardless of condition. As a nation, we've reached a historically high insured rate among our citizens – this bill has the potential to jeopardize these meaningful gains in coverage.

This legislation would also affect Massachusetts disproportionately, by significantly reducing critical federal funding to support the Commonwealth's continued commitment to universal health care coverage. By some estimates, our state's federal funding could be cut by more than $5 billion by 2026. The targeting of specific states puts politics over policy at the expense of those most in need of care.

We urge our elected leaders to continue working in a bipartisan spirit toward legislation that promotes access to high-quality, affordable care."

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not–for–profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We're the trusted health plan for more than 25,000 Massachusetts employers and are committed to working with others in a spirit of shared responsibility to make quality health care affordable. Consistent with our corporate promise to always put our 2.8 million members first, we're rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts