Reporters’ inboxes have been jammed with partisan reaction to Thursday’s narrow passage of President Trump’s American Health Care Act. The Centennial-based National Stroke Association, guardians against an affliction that could hit any of us at any time, said it has “serious concerns with both the substance and procedure of the AHCA.”

Here’s what the association had to say:

Procedurally, the AHCA and its subsequent amendments were moved through the legislative process without committee hearings, meaningful input from stakeholders like patient advocacy groups, or even a final score from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (“CBO”). The AHCA, a bill that would remake nearly a fifth of the U.S. economy and impact the lives of every American, was pushed through the House without any clarity as to what its effects will be. We urge the U.S. Senate to take a more careful and deliberative approach as it considers the AHCA.

The National Stroke Association is even more concerned about the impact of the substance of the AHCA on stroke survivors and those at risk of stroke. The CBO has already estimated that the original version of the AHCA will result in over 24 million children, senior citizens, and the most vulnerable Americans losing their health insurance due to a combination of reduced subsidies and changes to the Medicaid program. Last minute changes to the AHCA further undermine a litany of consumer and financial protections. These amendments will allow insurers to charge higher premiums to those with pre-existing conditions and to sell ‘health insurance’ that may not cover critical services like emergency services, hospitalizations, or provide coverage for prescription drugs. Further, insurers will also be free to re-impose lifetime and annual benefits caps – something prohibited under the Affordable Care Act currently. These changes will impact not only the individual health insurance market, but also the employer market.

The key to reducing the incidence and impact of stroke, the nation’s fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult long-term disability, is access to basic, preventative primary care. Rather than expanding access to care, the AHCA dramatically reduces the number of Americans with access to affordable, high quality healthcare. For these reasons, the National Stroke Association continues to oppose the AHCA in its current form.