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Rallying to Save Obamacare

SUNBURY — Rallies were held all across the country on Sunday to try to save Obamacare. Dozens of people showed up at a congressman’s office in North...

SUNBURY -- Rallies were held all across the country on Sunday to try to save Obamacare.

Dozens of people showed up at a congressman's office in Northumberland County, protesting the proposed repeal of Obamacare and cuts to Planned Parenthood.

People stood outside for hours in Sunbury to make sure their voices are heard. They are demanding Congress makes sure Americans continue to have access to affordable healthcare.

"Healthcare should be a right. It's not a privilege to be alive!"

That was the rallying cry outside of Congressman Lou Barletta's office in Sunbury. People with signs of support for the Affordable Care Act and Planned Parenthood gathered to let their voices be heard.

Congressman Barletta has already voted to start the repeal of Obamacare.

"We want to send a message to him that there are people who are impacted by this decision. We support improving the Affordable Care Act. The chant here today was 'fix it, don't nix it'," said Nicole Faraguna, Susquehanna Valley Progressives.

In the Keystone State, there are thousands who depend on the Affordable Care Act. One of those is Amalia Shaltil of Fishers Ferry. She didn't have healthcare for 10 years while raising her two children. She tells Newswatch 16 it was a very anxious time in her life. Even though it is expensive, without Obamacare, Shaltil says it would be devastating to her family.

"Still very worthwhile and without it, I would not be able to afford health coverage," she said. "It is just way out of my means right now."

Those at the rally tell Newswatch 16 eliminating healthcare for millions of Americans without another option is not the answer.

"I just don't understand how Congress members can threaten people with taking away the Affordable Care Act when people are frightened of losing their healthcare," said Helen Nunn of Lewisburg.

Organizers plan to continue holding rallies until they get an answer from the congressman.

"We are going to make a presence in Sunbury at the local office because rural Pennsylvania needs healthcare," said Dwayne Heisler, Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee.

Some at the rally plan to travel to the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. to continue their protest.

Protesters were also out in Lackawanna County. Dozens voiced their concerns about repealing the Affordable Care Act on Courthouse Square in Scranton.

"We feel that many people kind of jumped on a bandwagon, 'Repeal Obamacare,' without looking carefully at what that meant for them and for their families," said Debbie Tomasetti of Peckville.

Newswatch 16 called Rep. Barletta's office for comment. He responded:

“All we have done so far is take the first procedural step, which clears the way to begin work on repealing and replacing Obamacare.  It’s understandable that people are concerned about what comes next, and rest assured that I only support repealing the health care law if there is a functioning program to put in its place so that no one falls through the cracks.

“But let’s remember what we’re talking about replacing.  Obamacare never lived up to its promises: people were thrown off their preferred plans; they lost access to their favorite doctors; and their premiums and deductibles skyrocketed.  State exchanges are failing and insurers are withdrawing from the marketplace, meaning that the current system is doomed to collapse on itself.  The law was passed without any Republican support or input, and was forced on the American people without any consideration of how exactly it would work.  It never functioned as advertised, and it is a mistake to look back on the fiasco with any sort of nostalgia.  Obamacare is a failure.  It has to be replaced.”

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