New Bill Pushes Back on Trump ACA Sabotage, Improves Affordability, and Reinvests in Enrollee Supports

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- The Young Invincibles, a non-profit that says its mission is to amplify the voices of young adults in the political and economic areas, issued the following news release:

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- New health care bill would reverse the Trump Administration's repeated attacks on outreach and enrollment services by fully funding the programs

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Moments ago, House Democratic leadership introduced the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019. The bill works to reverse the damage done by President Donald Trump's constant attacks on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It also builds upon the foundation of the ACA to improve affordability, fix loopholes that hurt young families, and reinvest in critical consumer supports that help people understand and navigate the enrollment process.

This bill was introduced the day after a U.S. Department of Justice announcement that it now supports striking down the entirety of the Affordable Care Act. If the Trump Administration's DOJ had their way, the 20 million individuals who gained coverage thanks to the ACA would lose their coverage, and nearly all Americans would lose critical consumer protections -- including a ban on discrimination against those with preexisting conditions, a ban on annual and lifetime spending limits, and the provision allowing those under age 26 to be covered by their parent's plan -- currently guaranteed by the law.

In stark contrast to DOJ's announcement, the bill introduced today would recommit to ensuring that every American has access to affordable health insurance by:

Enforcing consumer protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions;

Increasing affordability for low- and middle-income enrollees;

Allowing nearly all shoppers to purchase coverage on the marketplace for no more than 9 percent of their income;

Fixing the "family glitch," which locks out many young families from affordable coverage; and

Funding both the federal Navigator program and marketing and outreach efforts at $100 million respectively, as well as making outreach efforts culturally and linguistically competent.

In response to the introduction of the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act, Erin Hemlin, Director of Training & Consumer Education for Young Invincibles, released the following statement:

"The Affordable Care Act has helped millions gain coverage and has quite literally saved lives. But extreme partisanship from Congress and the administration has prevented good faith implementation of the law and even the most common sense improvements from gaining traction. The bill builds on the foundation of the ACA to improve affordability by lowering premiums and deductibles, giving even more consumers access to affordable coverage. It also reinvests in outreach, advertising, and enrollment assistance that help ensure that everyone has the knowledge and resources they need to make an informed decision about their coverage options. With investments like these, the Affordable Care Act can continue to help quality health coverage become a reality for everyone in America.

Even as the Trump Administration doubles down on its mission to sabotage the ACA, this bill offers consumers an alternative vision for the direction of health care in our country. The Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act is built on the idea that every American -- regardless of age, gender, income, or any other factor -- should be able to afford health coverage that helps them get the care they need. We urge Congress to choose investment in health care, not further destruction."