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.
“The health insurance exchanges being set up in each state are an important part of health care reform. These exchanges will allow individuals and families to choose from the quality health insurance plans at competitive rates. The health insurance exchanges provide real choices and greater freedom for Americans to get the coverage they need.
“I thank the Gentlelady for yielding. The Gentleman from Georgia said that this health care was about one-sixth of the economy. He's right. [But] this continuing resolution is about 100 percent of the economy.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
I am deeply disappointed that House Republicans wasted this week without taking any meaningful action to avert a government shutdown or ensure our nation pays its bills. Today the Senate passed a bill to keep the government open while we continue to debate broader fiscal issues.
With a government shutdown still hanging in the balance, House Republicans are already making their threats on the next fight: holding the debt limit hostage in order to defund or undermine Obamacare.
“Good morning. I’m so glad the President of the United States has come to Prince George’s Community College to talk about the Affordable Care Act. None of us ought to be surprised that when President Obama decided to talk about the successes in implementing health care reform, he came to Maryland.
With time running out to keep the government funded past October 1, House Republicans continue to threaten a government shutdown over their attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act.
“Five years ago today, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 was signed into law, representing a significant victory in the ongoing effort to ensure full equality of access and opportunity for Americans with disabilities. No American ought to be denied a job, access to a building, or the right to make his or her own medical decisions as the result of a disability.
“Today’s report by the Department of Health and Human Services makes it clear that the health insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act will lower costs for consumers and offer a range of choices for Americans seeking quality health care
Newsflash for Republicans: coming on the heels of yesterday’s CNBC poll showing that Americans oppose defunding the Affordable Care Act – and even more so if it risks a government shutdown – is a United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll with further proof that their strategy is the wrong one: