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.
Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan appears to have based his Republican budget proposal on fantasy instead of reality. While Rep. Ryan admits Republicans don’t want to refight the fiscal cliff battle, apparently refighting the Affordable Care Act isn’t off the table (yes, the same Affordable Care Act upheld by the Supreme Court). Here’s a look at some of the articles pointing out that this proposal is unrealistic:
Rep. Paul Ryan may not have officially unveiled his budget proposal yet, but he gave a pretty clear indication of his plans this weekend. As expected, it appears the Republican budget will be based on false realities, gimmicks, and rejected policies.
Instead of investing in health care programs and research developments necessary to keep Americans healthy and safe, Republicans have allowed the irresponsible cuts known as sequester to go into effect.
“I join in marking the 40th anniversary today of the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, which affirmed every woman’s basic right to individual privacy and reproductive health choices. As Congress continues to address the issue of access to affordable health care for all Americans, I will continue to stand firm in protecting reproductive choice and initiatives that prevent unintended pregnancies through contraception and health education. I look forward to working hand-in-hand with women’s health groups and women’s rights advocates to stand up for the choices and privacy all American women deserve and that, according to the Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade, our Constitution guarantees.”
Tomorrow, on World AIDS Day, we renew our commitment to fighting this terrible disease and helping to improve the lives of those millions affected by HIV-AIDS worldwide. Together, the United States and other nations have made great advances in treating HIV-AIDS and raising awareness about how to prevent infection. Our commitment to research and the discovery of advances has not waned, and we must not rest until HIV-AIDS no longer threatens communities here in America and around the world.
“I appreciate this opportunity to discuss the dangerous impact of the Ryan-Romney-Republican House budget on Medicare and the positive impact of the Affordable Care Act Democrats passed in 2010.
Before Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, they announced their “Pledge to America” with claims that they would focus on priorities important to the American people, such as creating jobs, restoring economic certainty, and reducing the deficit. Two years later, Republicans’ record shows that they abandoned their pledge, and instead have consistently chosen to focus on partisan political issues rather than policies to restore our economy or create jobs. Now House Republicans are adjourning until after the election, and Republican leaders are concluding their legislative agenda the same way they started it: choosing obstruction and political messaging over working together to enact policies that help Americans.
"Today's announcement by the Census Bureau that our poverty rate fell for the first time in three years is welcome news, as is the fact that 1.3 million more Americans have health insurance coverage, a sign that the Affordable Care Act is working.
“Once again, we are seeing evidence of how the Affordable Care Act is benefiting Americans by lowering the costs of care and putting patients first. Today's report that the health reform law enacted by Democrats last Congress has saved consumers $2.1 billion through its rate review provisions and the medical loss ratio affirms that reform is working.
“Today, for 47 million women, the Affordable Care Act is opening new doors to quality, affordable, and accessible preventive care. No longer will insurance companies be able to charge co-pays for a host of preventive services, including HIV screening, well-woman visits, gestational diabetes testing, contraception, and domestic violence counseling. This is one of the many provisions of the Affordable Care Act that makes it easier for women and their doctors – and not insurance companies – to make health care decisions.