Larson Votes to Expand Health Care, Lower Costs, Protect Those With Pre-Existing Conditions

June 29, 2020

Contact: Kevin Rivera; 860-278-8888

Larson Votes to Expand Health Care, Lower Costs, Protect Those With Pre-Existing Conditions

Legislation Includes Larson Proposal to Lower Drug Costs for Those on Medicare

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Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. John B. Larson voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, which passed the House.

"In the midst of a pandemic, it is important now more than ever to expand access to health care. I was proud to help craft the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 as the Chair of the Democratic Caucus. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act builds on the successes of the ACA to help make health care more accessible and affordable for Americans. It lowers costs, strengthens Medicaid, permanently funds the Children's Health Insurance Program, protects Americans with pre-existing conditions, and addresses the inequities communities of color have experienced from COVID-19. It also includes HR 3 to lower the cost of prescription drugs and my proposal from the Medicare Buy-In at 50 Act to allow Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies," said Larson.

"While we're working to expand access to health care, Republicans continue to fight in court, trying to dismantle the ACA. This would result in an estimated 23 million Americans losing their health insurance during a pandemic. They instead should focus on helping Americans and join us in our efforts to achieve universal health care."

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act:

* Significantly increases the ACA's affordability subsidies to be more generous and cover more middle-class families. For the first time, no person will have to pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for a benchmark silver plan in the ACA marketplaces, and many Americans will see their premiums cut in half or more:

o A family of four earning $40,000 would save nearly $1,600 in premiums each year.

o A 64-year-old earning $57,420 would save more than $8,700 in premiums each year.

o A single adult with income of $31,900 would see premiums cut in half.

o An adult earning $19,140 would see premiums cut to zero, saving $800 dollars a year.

* Allows Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, something Larson proposed in his Medicare Buy-In at 50 Act.

* Expands coverage, pressing Medicaid expansion hold-out states to adopt coverage for the 4.8 million Americans cruelly excluded from coverage, while restoring the outreach and advertising funding that the Trump Administration has slashed to prevent Americans from learning about the affordable health coverage available to them under the ACA.

* Combats inequity in health coverage faced by communities of color, expanding more affordable coverage to vulnerable populations and fighting the maternal mortality epidemic by requiring states to extend Medicaid or CHIP coverage to new mothers for a full year post-partum.

* Cracks down on junk plans & strengthens protections for people with pre-existing conditions, reversing the Trump Administration's expansion of junk health insurance plans that do not provide coverage for essential medical treatments and drugs and that are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing medical conditions.