Press Releases
Currently showing results related to The Affordable Care Act
Ranking Member Scott Statement on Trump Decision to Abandon Mental Health Care for Americans
05.15.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced its plan to abandon mental health parity enforcement. “Nearly 30 years after the enactment of the bipartisan Mental Health Parity Act, insurance companies and health plans still fail to provide meaningful coverage of behavioral health care. Rigorous enforcement of this landmark law is more important now than ever befo… Continue Reading
Scott, Boyle Demand Answers about How Tax Cuts for the Rich will Limit Access to School Meals and Nutrition Programs
05.15.25 WASHINGTON- Committee Leaders are raising alarm over the Republicans’ drastic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid included in the budget reconciliation which will negatively impact children’s access to school meal programs and threaten food security for millions of families that rely on summer grocery benefits and other health and nutrition services. Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Memb… Continue Reading
Reps. Courtney, Walberg Lead Bicameral, Bipartisan Bill to Improve Health Care Access for Federal Workers
05.01.25 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), a senior Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, introduced the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act. This bipartisan bill would amend the Federal Employees Compensation Act to allow injured workers to receive treatment for work-related injuries from state-licensed physician assistants (PAs) and nurse… Continue Reading
Committee Democrats Blast Republicans for Changing Rules and Refusing to Hold Trump Accountable for Closing Office that Supports Seniors and Americans with Disabilities
04.30.25 WASHINGTON -In case you missed it, yesterday, Committee Democrats showed up for work prepared to debate a measure which would allow Congress to hold the Trump Administration accountable after it proposed eliminating the Administration for Community Living (ACL). ACL supports programs that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently and with dignity like Meals on Wheels. Congressional Republicans decided to bury their heads in the sand and further fuel President Trump’s unchecke… Continue Reading
NEW: Government Watchdog Reports College Students Still Struggle to Access Health Coverage
04.17.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) unveiled a new report examining how some students continue to struggle to receive adequate health care coverage, although there has been progress made because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2022, over 19 million students were enrolled in nearly 3,900 colleges around the United States. As the cost of living and the cost of college both continue to skyrocket, many college students cannot access quality health care. Although th… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Demands RFK Jr. to Reinstate Staff who Set Federal Poverty Guidelines
04.16.25 WASHINGTON - Today, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) expressed grave concern to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., following the Trump Administration’s decision to eliminate the entire staff of the team within the Office of the Assistance Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) who set federal poverty guidelines. Poverty guidelines help to establish eligibility criteria for a wide-ranging number of federal prog… Continue Reading
Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Subcommittee Hearing on Employer-Sponsored Health Care
04.02.25 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “A Healthy Workforce: Expanding Access and Affordability in Employer-Sponsored Health Care.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for having this hearing. “As you know, as soon as we both knew we were going to have these assignments again, I reached out and we had a wonderful conversation. As two former small busi… Continue Reading
Reps. Courtney, Houchin Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Costs
03.11.25 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Erin Houchin (R-IN) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to shine a light on the opaque prescription drug pricing system to ensure patients get a fair deal. In 2023, the House passed their bill (320-71) as part of the Lower Cost, More Transparency Act. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are the middlemen between pharmacies, drugmakers, and health insurers who negotiate the price Americans pay for prescription drugs. Currently, PBMs are not c… Continue Reading
House Democratic Health Leaders Ask Comptroller General to Monitor Implementation of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation
02.05.25 WASHINGTON - Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) wrote to the Comptroller General today requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) actively monitor the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to ensure the Trump Administration upholds its legal obligation to deliver lower prescription drug prices for Ame… Continue Reading
NEW REPORT: Pandemic-era COBRA Subsidies Provided Critical Health Coverage Amidst Historic Job Losses
01.13.25 WASHINGTON - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report detailing how the swift implementation of pandemic-era COBRA subsidies by the Biden-Harris Administration offered crucial relief to workers and their families. The report reveals that these subsidies slashed health insurance premiums by $1.2 billion, providing a lifeline to workers across more than 30,000 businesses in industries such as manufacturing, health care, construction, entertainment, and retail. Four … Continue Reading
Rep. Courtney’s Bipartisan Bill to Improve Health Care Access Advances in the House
06.20.24 NORWICH, CT - In another bipartisan win, the Committee on Education and the Workforce recently advanced (36-0) Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Rep. Tim Walberg’s (R-MI) legislation to improve health care access for injured federal workers. The Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act (H.R. 618) amends the Federal Employees Compensation Act to ensure injured federal employees, especially those in rural areas can get the appropriate care they need from state-licensed… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement at Hearing with HHS Secretary Becerra
05.15.24 WASHINGTON -Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Health and Human Services” with Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. “Thank you, Madam Chair. “Secretary Becerra, good morning, and thank you for being with us today. It is always a pleasure to welcome you back to the Committee. “You are familiar with this room, not only from your p… Continue Reading
Committee Health Leaders Applaud Biden Administration for Rescinding Trump-Era Rule that Undermined the Affordable Care Act
04.29.24 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) released the following statement after the Biden Administration issued a final rule that reverses a Trump-era rule aimed at sabotaging the Affordable Care Act by making it harder for workers and families to get affordable, high-quality health insurance. “We applaud the Biden Administration for rescindi… Continue Reading
Committee Health Leaders Applaud Biden Proposal to Reverse Trump-era Sabotage of the ACA
02.21.24 WASHINGTON - Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) applaud the Biden Administration’s proposal to reverse a Trump-era rule that made it harder for workers and families to get affordable, high-quality health insurance. By rescinding the Trump-era “Association Health Plan” (AHP) rule, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposal protects consumers from health … Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Commends Biden Administration for Protecting Access to Affordable Health Care
12.19.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Scott issued the following statement after the Biden Administration announced a proposed rule that would reverse a Trump-era rule that made it harder for workers and families to get affordable, high-quality health insurance. “I applaud the Biden Administration for today’s proposal to rescind the previous Administration’s ‘Association Health Plan’ (AHP) rule and protect consumers from health benefit arrangements that seek to evade important requirements of federal … Continue Reading
NEW: Government Watchdog Report Finds Health Insurance Alternatives May Leave Consumers and Workers Vulnerable to Low-Quality Coverage, Misleading Marketing
08.02.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced the release of a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on health care arrangements—including Farm Bureau health plans, health care sharing ministries, and fixed indemnity plans—that are offered as alternatives to health insurance. The report found that these plans and… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Praises Biden-Harris Administration for Expanding Access to Mental Health Care
07.26.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Biden-Harris administration released a new rule to strengthen mental and physical health parity requirements. “Access to high-quality mental health care and substance use disorder treatment are essential to our overall health and well-being. Mental illnesses are closely linked to physical health problems, such as diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, while, conversely, chronic physical illness… Continue Reading
Scott Applauds Biden’s Plans to Lower Health Care Costs, Protect Consumers
07.07.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) applauded the Biden administration for announcing multiple actions to lower health care costs, including limiting short-term plans, promoting transparency in health care, and strengthening the No Surprises Act. “Today, the Biden administration announced its plans to reverse the previous administration’s rule to expand short-term, limited duration health plans. The rule was just one of a long list of efforts by the Trump administ… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Bobby Scott, Protect Our Care Virginia, and Health Care Advocates Discuss Republicans’ Latest Effort to Weaken Protections for Virginians with Pre-Existing Conditions
06.26.23 *Watch the event here* WASHINGTON — In case you missed it, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Friday joined Protect Our Care Virginia and health care storytellers to discuss House Republicans' vote to weaken protections for Virginians with pre-existing conditions and undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The call is a response to a legislative package House Republicans passed on Wednesday evening that includes several measures to… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Leads Opposition to Bill that Undermines Affordable, Quality Health Care for Workers and Families
06.21.23 WASHINGTON - Today, House Republicans voted to pass H.R. 3799, which undermines the Affordable Care Act and jeopardizes essential consumer protections for health care consumers. This legislative package includes H.R. 2813, which prevents critical consumer protections from being applied to stop loss insurance, and H.R. 2868, which erodes consumer protections and increases costs for older and sicker Americans. View Ranking Member Scott’s floor remarks on YouTube. Ranking Member Robert C. “Bob… Continue Reading