Mazie Hirono: I Am Now An American With A Pre-Existing Condition | All In

THREATENING WAS SO IRREGULAR THAT THE TOP DEMOCRAT IS CALLING
NOW FOR AN INVESTIGATION. JOINING ME NOW, SENATOR,
DEMOCRAT FROM HAWAII. MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN I SAW
THIS -- >> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN I SAW THIS, THERE ARE ALL THESE
LEGENDARY TALK ABOUT HOW PRESIDENTS, MAJORITY LEADERS,
TRYING TO GET VOTES AND TWIST ARMS.
IS THIS NORMAL FOR SOMEONE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO BASICALLY
THREATEN FEDERAL TREATMENT OF A STATE OVER A VOTE LIKE THIS?
>> THIS IS A GROUP THAT I'VE COME TO EXPECT FROM THIS
ADMINISTRATION AND PRESIDENT TRUMP.
BULLY TACTICS, THREATS. IT IS REALLY HAND FISTED.
IF ANYTHING WHRGS WE ARE THREATENED, IT JUST RAISES OUR
HACKLES. I TALKED WITH LISA LAST NIGHT.
AND I SAID, HANG IN THERE. HE SAID YOU KNOW WHAT?
SHE LEARNED TO STAND UP TO BULLIES FROM THE GET-GO.
IF YOU DON'T STAND UP TO THEM, THEY'LL KEEP ON COMING.
SHE'S NOT AFRAID OF THESE THREATS.
PEOPLE IN ALASKA KNOW WHO SHE'S FIGHT FOG FOR AND SHE'S FIGHTING
FOR THEY WILL. >> SHE'S IN AN INTERESTING
POSITION. SHE LOST THE PRIMARY CHALLENGE
AND RAN AS AN INDEPENDENT. >> IT SEEMS THE PARTY DOESN'T
HOLD AS MUCH OVER HER AS THEY MIGHT OTHER REPUBLICAN SENATORS.
>> EXACTLY. ANY OF US WORTH OUR SALT WILL
STAND UP TO THESE KINDS OF BULLYING TACTICS.
>> YOU'RE SOMEONE RIGHT NOW WHO, LIKE YOUR COLLEAGUE JOHN McCAIN,
IS IN THE MIDST OF TREATMENT FOR CANCER.
>> YES. YOUR COLLEAGUE GOT THE BIG WARM
OVATION BEFORE VOTING FOR THAT PROEGS TO PROCEED.
YOU'RE RIGHT NOW UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR STAGE FOUR CANCER
AND CONSIDERING THIS HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION.
HOW IS THAT IMPACTING THE WAY THAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
>> I'VE CERTAINLY BEEN A BIG VOICE FOR HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AS
A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE. BEING DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY
UNEXPECTED STAGE FOUR KIDNEY CANCER ONLY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO,
HAS DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON HOW CRITICAL HEALTH CARE IS FOR
EVERYBODY. AND I GIVE THE EXAMPLE THAT JOHN
McCAIN AND I ARE EXAMPLES OF HOW ALL OF US ARE ONE DIAGNOSIS AWAY
FROM A SERIOUS ILLNESS. WHICH I THOUGHT ONLY HAPPENED TO
OTHER PEOPLE. OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
I AM NOW JOINED THE RANKS OF PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS. OF WHICH THERE ARE SOME HALF A
MILLION IN HAWAII AND MILLIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO WILL
BE HURT DRASTICALLY BY WHATEVER MITCH McCONNELL COMES UP WITH.
>> AND THE TWISTS AND TURNS. I THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE MOVING.
INTERVIEWING PEOPLE ARE IN THE MIDST OF EXTREME HEALTH CARE
SITUATIONS. RECEIVING TREATMENT ON THE
INDIVIDUAL MARKET. RECEIVING SUBSIDIES ON THE
MEDICAID EXPANSION. THEY ARE WATCHING THIS AS A LIFE
OR DEATH MATTER. AND YOUR HEALTH CARE PROBABLY
WON'T BE AFFECTED BY WHAT'S PASSED BUT I IMAGINE INSIGHT
INTO HOW IT MUST FEEL TO WATCH THIS WHILE UNDER TREATMENT.
>> BELIEVE ME, I WAS REALLY GRATEFUL WHEN I WAS DIAGNOSED
AND CONFRONTING TREATMENT THAT COULD I FOCUS ON THE APPROPRIATE
TREATMENT AS OPPOSED TO HOW THE HECK AM I GOING TO PAY?
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I'VE ALREADY UNDERGONE TWO MAJOR OPERATIONS
FOR MY KIDNEY CANCER. THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO I AM TOTALLY AWARE OF HOW MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN OUR
COUNTRY WILL BE HURT BY WHAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE PUTTING FORWARD.
AND I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE SOME
SENSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH CARE FOR EVERYONE, THAT
THEY CAN VOTE FOR THIS KIND OF BILL THAT IS REALLY GOING TO
KNOCK MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OFF HEALTH CARE.
IT WILL PROBABLY BRING BACK THE COSTS FOR PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS. THE EMPLOYEE MANDATE.
BASICALLY THEY WILL REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT THAT
SUPPORTS AND HELPS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN OUR
COUNTRY. AND HOW THEY CAN DO THAT IS
BEYOND ME.

Mazie Hirono: I Am Now An American With A Pre-Existing Condition | All In | MSNBC

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