Five Years in, the Affordable Care Act is Working
HELP subcommittee hearing highlights ways ACA is strengthening employee-sponsored insurance
WASHINGTON – Today, in their continued attempt to undermine the Affordable Care Act, Republicans of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a subcommittee hearing to challenge the law. During the hearing, Education and the Workforce Democrats reinforced the importance of the need to protect access to affordable health care for all Americans.
“It’s important to remember why we passed the Affordable Care Act in the first place – millions of Americans were losing coverage, premiums were going through the roof, workers were experiencing ‘job-lock’ out of fear of losing their insurance, and those with preexisting conditions were routinely denied coverage or charged outlandish premiums,” said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03). “Now, five years later, health care insurance is affordable, people no longer need to fear being denied insurance because of preexisting conditions, or being charged more simply because they are women, and insurance abuses have been addressed.”
Education and the Workforce Democrats were joined by small business owner Mike Brey, who testified on his experience with the Affordable Care Act as an employer. Brey is the owner of Hobby Works, a hobby and toy store with four locations in the D.C. metro area, Maryland and Virginia. Before the Affordable Care Act, Brey – like many small business owners – struggled to offer health insurance to his employees due to escalating costs.
“Prior to the passage of the health care law, our insurance rates were going through the roof, and it became more and more difficult to continue offering health insurance to my employees,” said Brey at the hearing. “Thanks to the health care law’s cost containment provisions, our premiums are starting to stabilize. I believe I am finally starting to have the certainty and stability I need when it comes to health insurance premiums and choices of plans.”
Congressman Jared Polis (CO-02) is the ranking Member of the HELP subcommittee and led today’s hearing for the Education and the Workforce Democrats.
“Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans now have access to quality health care at affordable rates for the first time,” said Rep. Polis. “While it might not be perfect, the ACA is working: spiraling health care costs are down, choices for consumers and businesses are up, and Colorado’s uninsured rate has been cut nearly in half. Today, families no longer have to fear losing out on health insurance because a child has a preexisting medical condition, or worry that one unexpected illness will leave them bankrupt.”
Because of the Affordable Care Act, federal health spending will be nearly $700 billion less over the 2011-2020 period than what the Congressional Budget Office projected in January 2010. ACA has allowed over 11 million Americans to newly enroll in Marketplace coverage just this year, and health care spending in the U.S. grew at the lowest rate ever recorded last year. The country is saving more money than was originally estimated.
It is clear: five years in, the Affordable Care Act is working:
1. Millions of Americans – who continue to access coverage through their employer – no longer have lifetime and annual limits on their coverage.
2. Small business owners now have an affordable way to provide quality coverage for their employees.
3. The percentage of uninsured Americans is the lowest on record in 50 years.
4. ACA’s state-based marketplaces and healthcare.gov have given millions of Americans the security of having coverage despite their job status.
5. ACA eliminated gender disparities in insurance costs and coverage.
Despite Republicans’ efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Democrats of the Education and Workforce Committee remain committed to the fight to give American families the quality, affordable health care they deserve.
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