Sen. Cortez Masto Commemorates 10th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, March 23 -- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, issued the following statement on March 23 commemorating the 10th anniversary of President Obama's signing of the Affordable Care Act into law:

"The Affordable Care Act has been helping families in Nevada and across the country access affordable, quality health care for ten years. Not only has the ACA given an unprecedented number of Americans access to health insurance, it has also ensured that patients with pre-existing conditions can't be denied coverage or charged more for their care. It helped seniors afford the cost of prescription drugs, and provided Nevadans with vital health care services including free birth control, cancer screenings and vaccines.

"Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, today Nevadans who don't have insurance are able to log on to http://nvhealthlink.com/ and enroll in subsidized coverage that will protect them and their families as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis. I urge Nevadans on this tenth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act to go online and learn about the special enrollment period. I'm doing all I can in the Senate to strengthen our public health infrastructure and protect the health care of Nevadans. I'll continue to fight against attempts by those in Washington to sabotage this lifesaving law and rip coverage away from hardworking families. I'm working to protect the Affordable Care Act and strengthen its provisions so that more Americans can access quality, affordable health coverage."

BACKGROUND:

Since the Affordable Care Act was enacted, Nevada's uninsured rate has decreased by 42.1 percent. In addition, over 1.2 million Nevadans with preexisting conditions have been guaranteed coverage by insurance companies. As many as 472,292 women in Nevada have gained access to affordable birth control and preventive care and over 19,000 young people under the age of 26 have been allowed to stay on their parents' health insurance. The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion has also helped over 200,000 low-income Nevadans gain coverage.

The ACA also established the Prevention and Public Health Fund - the first ever resource for local public health agencies across the country that isn't subject to the ups and downs of annual Congressional funding cycles. PPHF has been critical for the local agencies on the front lines of this pandemic.