Rep. Kildee Votes to Protect and Expand Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, June 30 -- Rep. Daniel Kildee, D-Michigan, issued the following news release:

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, applauded the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act, House Democrats' new legislation to lower health care costs for Michiganders.

The bill builds on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and would lower health care coverage costs, negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, expand coverage, combat inequity in health coverage faced by communities of color, crack down on junk insurance plans and protect those with pre-existing conditions. This bill comes after the Trump Administration last week asked the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the ACA, taking away coverage from tens of millions of Americans during a global pandemic.

The bill significantly increases the ACA's affordability subsidies to decrease the cost of health insurance 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 certain plans on the ACA marketplaces, and many Americans will see their premiums cut in half or more. A family of four in Michigan earning $40,000 would save nearly $1,600 in premiums each year.

"We must strengthen the Affordable Care Act to lower health care and prescription drug prices. In the richest country in the world, every American deserves quality, affordable health care," Congressman Kildee said. "While Democrats are working to expand coverage and lower costs for families, President Trump and Republicans in Congress are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take away heath care coverage for millions of Americans--including those with pre-existing conditions--which is dangerous, especially during a pandemic," Congressman Kildee said.

In addition, the bill would:

* Lowers health coverage costs - dramatically expanding the ACA's insurance affordability subsidies to cover more middle-class families and to be more generous for those already receiving them. Many enrollees will see their premiums cut by half or more, and for the first time, no one will have to pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for a silver plan in the ACA marketplaces.

* Negotiates for lower prescription drug prices - delivering the power to negotiate lower drug prices so that Americans no longer must pay more for our medicines than Big Pharma changes for the same drugs overseas.

* Expands coverage - pressing Medicaid expansion hold-out states with new carrots and sticks 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.

Congressman Kildee's top priorities are lowering health care costs and preserving the Affordable Care Act. Congressman Kildee has supported the passage of H.R. 3, the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which would lower the cost of prescription drug by allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies. He has also supported both H.R. 986, the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act and H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act which would help to rein in the soaring costs of prescription drugs and protect those with pre-existing conditions.

A fact sheet on the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act is available here https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/Affordable%20Care%20Enhancement%20Act%20-%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf.