Legislation expands access to health care, drives down costs and strengthens protections for people with pre-existing conditions

WASHINGTON - Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) helped pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act (ACA), which would make health care and prescription drugs more affordable, strengthen protections for people with pre-existing conditions, reduce racial disparities in health coverage and expand access to health care.

"In the middle of a devastating pandemic, the Trump Administration is trying to strip health care coverage from millions of Americans and eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions," Congresswoman Bustos said. "Illinoisans are anxious about their physical and financial health, and we must stand up to these attacks. That's why I helped pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act today to lower premiums, drive down drug prices, strengthen protections for people with pre-existing conditions and improve our health care system for working families. Leader McConnell must bring this legislation to a vote immediately - along with the dozen other bills gathering dust on his desk that would lower health care costs."

WATCH Congresswoman Bustos speak on the House Floor today.

The passage of this legislation out of the House comes as the Trump Administration pushes forward their dangerous lawsuit, Texas v. U.S., to eliminate the ACA without a replacement - stripping away coverage for folks with pre-existing conditions, assistance for seniors with high drug costs, the ban on lifetime limits, bipartisan Medicaid expansion and the ability of individuals to stay on their parents' health insurance until the age of 26.

In Illinois' 17th Congressional District, at least 28,000 people would lose their coverage if the Washington Republicans lawsuit is successful - and across the state, more than 730,000 Illinoisans would lose health coverage altogether.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act would:

* Lower health coverage costs by bringing down insurance premiums;

* Lower prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate costs, which was also included in the Lower Drug Costs Now Act;

* Expand coverage;

* Combat inequality in health coverage faced by communities of color by fighting the maternal mortality epidemic and protecting vulnerable populations from losing coverage;

* Crack down on junk plans; and

* Strengthen protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

You can view a full one-page summary of the bill HERE https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/Affordable%20Care%20Enhancement%20Act%20-%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf.

You can watch Congresswoman Bustos speak on the House Floor today HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdSKlIybSpI&feature=youtu.be.

Read this original document at: https://bustos.house.gov/bustos-helps-protect-pre-existing-conditions-lower-drug-prices-and-coverage-premiums-by-passing-the-patient-protection-and-affordable-care-enhancement-act/