Hoyer Statement on President Obama Signing the Medicare Access and Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act into Law

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after President Obama signed the Medicare Access and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act into law:

“The President’s signing of the Medicare Access and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act today represents a bipartisan victory for seniors, children, and doctors.  This new law will replace the broken SGR formula by which Medicare pays doctors – one that I have been working to fix for over a decade in order to ensure that seniors can access the doctors they trust and receive the high-quality, high value care they deserve.  As a strong supporter of the highly-successful CHIP program, I’m also pleased that the law includes a robust reauthorization of the program so that it can continue serving children and their families throughout the country. Additionally, this law provides for $7.2 billion to support community health centers that deliver much-needed medical care to low-income and underserved families. 

“I was proud to be on hand earlier today when House and Senate leaders from both parties held a formal enrollment ceremony to convey the bill to the White House for its enactment.  I hope Republicans and Democrats in Congress can similarly come together on other important issues and restore Americans’ faith that their lawmakers can achieve results and meet our challenges.”