Health Care
House Democrats are committed to expanding access to quality, affordable health care coverage, strengthening protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and lowering prescription drug prices and the cost of health care overall.
Under President Biden and Congressional Democrats, the uninsured rate is at an all-time low. While Republicans vote against legislation to lower health care costs, House Democrats are working to bring down the overall costs of health care and increase access to health care coverage.
With the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, House Democrats took direct action to reduce health care costs for millions of Americans. For the first time, Medicare will be able to negotiate prescription drug prices for high-cost drugs. The law also caps out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients at $2,000 annually and establishes a $35 cap for a month’s supply of insulin. The Inflation Reduction Act also protects progress made under President Biden to expand access to quality, affordable health care coverage by continuing the expanded premium tax credits originally passed in the American Rescue Plan, which lowered health care premiums for millions of working families.
This built upon the Affordable Care Act – enacted by President Obama and Congressional Democrats in 2010 – that has put American families in control of their own health care and ended a system that put profits ahead of patients. Since its enactment, 35 million Americans have gained access to quality, affordable health coverage. Americans with pre-existing conditions can no longer be discriminated against by insurance companies. Parents can now keep their children on their insurance plans up to age twenty-six. Insurance companies are no longer allowed to put annual or lifetime limits on coverage or drop people when they get sick. Additionally, thanks to the law, Medicare costs – from premiums and deductibles to overall program spending – have slowed to well below the levels projected before the law passed.
These reforms were crucial, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic struck but more action was needed. That’s why House Democrats worked to enact legislation right away - without any Republican support - to ensure that testing, treatment, and vaccinations for COVID-19 would be covered with no out-of-pocket costs to Americans.
House Democrats remain committed to the goal of affordable, accessible health care for all.
On Tuesday, Speaker Ryan claimed Republicans are following the normal process.
Then: Speaker Ryan said when he took the gavel in October 2015: “Open up the process. Let people participate.”
Now: New York Magazine: House Republicans Announce Only Republicans Are Allowed to See New Health-Care Plan
Last night, President Trump delivered his first address before the United States Congress and gave a speech long on empty rhetoric and short on any real policy agenda.
Reports that House Republicans are planning to hold a markup of their legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act next week, if true, demonstrate that they are not listening to their constituents at home.
Last night, the President said once again that Republicans would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
But with what exactly? He didn’t say.
That’s because the GOP continues to be deeply divided over how to replace the Affordable Care Act and prevent millions of Americans from losing coverage or seeing costs skyrocket. Here’s a look at how their dysfunction is playing out in the headlines:
Don’t just take our word for it – a look at the headlines shows that we aren’t the only ones who thought the President’s speech was long on empty rhetoric and short on substance:
Roll Call: In Joint Address, Trump Offers Congress Few Policy Details
I don't know what's going to happen because the Republicans have been talking about that for six years, about how they want to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Tonight, President Trump stood before the United States Congress and gave a speech long on rhetoric but short on any real policy agenda.
I’m not surprised [President Trump said he will discuss immigration reform]. Other than it's always surprising to hear Donald Trump say what he is for and against because it changes on a relevant basis.
Just as we predicted, House Republicans are back to the drawing board on their draft reconciliation bill. From the Hill:
“A day after House conservatives panned a leaked GOP draft ObamaCare replacement plan, a top Republican leader on Tuesday described the proposed legislation as ‘no longer even a viable draft that we’re working off of.’”