Protesters want the Affordable Care Act "improved and embraced not repealed and replaced."
MORRISTOWN -- More than 40 people gathered at the Morristown office of U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11) on Friday to express their concerns with the proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act and to urge the congressman to hold a town hall meeting on the matter.
Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, who is partially blind and partially deaf, told a spokesperson from Frelinghuysen's office she's worried the repeal of ACA would stop her from being able to lead a regular life.
"I have been disabled since birth," Sjunneson-Henry said. "I have literally had a pre-existing condition since before I was born...If the ACA is repealed, I'm very afraid that with the pre-existing conditions I have I could lose my insurance."
Sjunneseon-Henry went to Frelinghuysen's office on Friday along with other members of NJ 11th For Change -- a group comprised largely of women from the 11th district who want the congressman to oppose the repeal of ACA and to support Planned Parenthood.
The group, a mix of Democrats and Republicans, primarily sought details from Frelinghuysen's staff about what the plans were for ACA and about what legislation would replace it.
Frelinghuysen has repeatedly advocated for the repeal of ACA. A statement on his congressional website outlines the steps taken by Republicans to "partially repeal, defund and dismantle the law."
"Republicans have voted over 60 times to fully and partially repeal, defund, or dismantle the law," according to the statement. "Of those votes, seven different bills have been signed into law that directly repeal or rescind funding from at least eight different Obamacare provisions.
"While this is not the end of the story, it is one more bite of the apple, making it that much harder to implement the bill, thus getting us closer to the ultimate goal of full repeal."
NJ 11th For Change members have said they plan to keep coming to Frelinghuysen's office on Fridays until he agrees to meet with them or to hold a town hall meeting on the issue. The group is also using the Twitter hashtag #FridayswithFrelinghuysen to spread their message.
Sjunneson-Henry told NJ Advance Media after the protest she's concerned the incoming Trump administration wouldn't be concerned with assisting citizens with disabilities.
"I have friends who will probably die if (ACA) is repealed," Sjunneson-Henry said. "This is actually life or death for us."
NJ Advance Media hasn't yet received a comment from Frelinghuysen's staff on this issue.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.