Affordable Care Act Working for Millions of Americans, GOP Efforts to Sabotage Law Dangerous
WASHINGTON – House Democrats pushed back efforts at a joint hearing of two House Education and the Workforce Committee panels by the Republican majority today to disrupt implementation of the Affordable Care Act that is already guaranteeing new rights for millions of Americans.
“So far the majority is zero for 38 in repealing the health care law. There are other issues confronting the nation,” said Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.), the ranking member of the Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee.
“Very shortly we are going to see insurance rate filings that are below the Congressional Budget Office projections,” said Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.). “That should be our focus right now: Making sure that people that are going to benefit from subsidies, small business tax credits and a structured marketplace where private insurers will be able to sell their products in a user-friendly, small business-friendly fashion rather than the hieroglyphics that the exiting marketplace calls for.”
According to a new poll released today by the National Journal, only 36 percent of Americans want the Affordable Care Act to be repealed. Despite this, several Washington Republicans have announced that they will try to shut down the government in order to block any funding to carry out the law and its consumer protections.
“A number of months ago, speaker Boehner appropriately said that ACA was the law of the land. However, since then, opponents have developed an obsession with obstruction of the law of the land,” said Ron Pollack, the executive director of Families USA. “This obsession with obstruction is unconstructive for working families.”
Last week, House Republicans pushed through a 38th attempt to repeal of a portion of the health reform law. Despite claims from opponents, the early evidence suggests that the health care law is already having a positive impact on the lives of Americans.
- Millions more young adults are getting health insurance.
- Children with a preexisting condition can no longer be denied health coverage or a live-saving treatment.
- Billions more in taxpayer dollars are being recovered in Medicare fraud.
- National health costs have dramatically slowed the last few years.
- Health premiums as part of state insurance exchanges are coming in dramatically lower than predicted.
- And in January, the use of a preexisting condition to determine health coverage or costs will be banned.
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