Nutter counts up health-care repeal costs

During a call organized by the White House Tuesday, Philadelphia’s mayor said thousands of city residents could lose out if the federal health law is repealed.

Mayor Michael Nutter said it is “outrageous” that congressional Republicans would try to cut health care for Philadelphians by repealing the Affordable Care Act.

“This is just a bad, dumb idea that leads to an environment of health care segregation for many Americans,” he said.

Should repeal succeed, Nutter says more than 200,000 Philadelphians on Medicaid would no longer get free preventive care such as screening for breast and colon cancer.

He said under the health law, right now about 5,000 young city residents are eligible to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan. He said that is an important benefit in a college town like Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania Sen. Robert Casey Jr. joined Nutter on the call.

A congressional repeal of the health law is a long shot. Still, Casey said it is important for Pennsylvanians to understand what is at stake, especially as court challenges pile up

Last week, President Barack Obama said he is open to ideas to improve the federal health law, but Tuesday Nutter sounded a lot less conciliatory than the president.

Nutter said his constituents are not complaining about the health law, but they are worried about the push to repeal it.

“This is nothing but political mischief driven by agendas, again, by folks who have jobs, have health care and want to take it away from other Americans — that’s what this is about,” Nutter said.