AT SENATE FINANCE HEARING BROWN TOUTS HEALTH CARE ACCESS WINS, PUSHES CONGRESS TO GO FURTHER

Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021

ICYMI: AT SENATE FINANCE HEARING BROWN TOUTS HEALTH CARE ACCESS WINS, PUSHES CONGRESS TO GO FURTHER

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In Case You Missed It: Yesterday, during a Senate Finance Committee hearing titled "Health Insurance Coverage in America: Current and Future Role of Federal Programs," U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) highlighted the ways that the Affordable Care Act and American Rescue Plan Act have increased access to care and made health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans.

"Today's hearing is an opportunity to discuss ways to build on efforts, like permanently funding CHIP, ensuring continuously eligibility for children and postpartum individuals, and extending the enhanced rescue plan subsidies as a part of the Build Back Better Plan. These are important steps forward that we can take right now." said Brown at the Finance Committee hearing.

During the hearing, Brown questioned Dr. Linda J. Blumberg, an Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute, about the ways in which the Affordable Care Act and American Rescue Plan have improved access to affordable health care for Americans.

More from Brown's hearing exchanges is included below:

"Research has demonstrated that the Affordable Care Act has increased health insurance coverage in the US among the non-elderly by more than 20 million people," said Dr. Blumberg. "The enhancements of premium tax credits provided by the American Rescue Plan have increased coverage further albeit temporarily given the limited duration of the enhanced credit period. These reforms also have improved affordability of insurance coverage and increased access to care for millions o Americans."

Brown then asked Mr. Frederick Isasi, Executive Director at Families USA, a series of yes-or-no questions about pending Democratic proposals that would have the potential to further increase access to care or lower costs for Americans.

Brown: Would permanently extending funding for CHIP, the Children's Health Insurance Program help ensure coverage for the children of working families for years to come?

Mr. Isasi: Absolutely.

Brown: Would providing continuous eligibility for kids and postpartum individuals in Medicaid and CHIP help new moms and their kids stay healthier and reduce disparities and improve the continuity of their coverage?

Mr. Isasi: Yes, and you have been a tremendous champion on this issue.

Brown: Could adding a public option to the ACA or allowing older Americans to buy-in voluntarily to Medicare before 65 help to reduce disparities and give Americans more options for health coverage, options that they can afford?

Mr. Isasi: Absolutely and the policies provide real financial security and also allow the government to finally start addressing the pricing abuses that we're dealing with.

Brown: Thank you for that, would extending the ACA's provision to allow children to remain on their parent's health insurance policies until age 26 to CHAMPVA to help ensure children of disabled veterans have stronger coverage options?

Mr. Isasi: Absolutely.

Brown: Would fixing the so-called "family glitch" in the ACA help give working families more affordable coverage options?

Mr. Isasi: Absolutely it would ensure that families are not being unfairly penalized and held to an individual standard instead of their family income standard, really important.

Brown: Thank you for that insight and illumination. One last question, would extending guarantee issue protections to Medigap policies help provide seniors and individuals with disabilities with more coverage options and greater out of pocket protections for those individuals affected?

Mr. Isasi: 100%, and it would ensure that Medigap you couldn't be denied coverage for preexisting conditions. Something that should be the law of the land in this country.