Hoyer: Affordable Care Act is Clear, Ensures Access to Affordable Health Care Coverage for All Americans

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the King v. Burwellcase:

“Today, the Supreme Court heard arguments in King v. Burwell, and I remain confident that, as many legal scholars have predicted, the Court will reject the plaintiffs’ flawed argument and affirm that the text of the Affordable Care Act clearly makes premium tax credits available to ‎all eligible consumers nationwide, regardless of where they live.  I served as Majority Leader in 2010 when the law was written and enacted, so I know that Congress wrote the law to ensure that affordable health coverage would be accessible to all Americans.

“If the Court were to rule for the plaintiffs, millions of Americans would lose access to these tax credits and premium increases would be unsustainable for most. That would be catastrophic and counter to both the letter and spirit of the Affordable Care Act.  Since its enactment in 2010, the law has helped millions of businesses and families gain access to affordable insurance coverage and protected consumers from discriminatory insurance practices.

“The Affordable Care Act is working, and instead of trying to undo it through votes to repeal or undermine the law and lawsuits such as King v. Burwell, Republicans ought to work with Democrats to ensure that as many Americans as possible can benefit from it. I will be monitoring developments from this case closely and look forward to the Court ruling in favor of the millions of Americans who are benefitting from quality, affordable health care coverage.”