Spanberger Encourages Central Virginians to Sign Up for Healthcare Coverage

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, issued the following news release:

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- In the U.S. House, the Congresswoman has Repeatedly Pushed to Protect Access to Affordable Healthcare Coverage for Thousands of Her Constituents

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U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today is encouraging Central Virginia individuals, families, and small businesses to sign up for or change their health insurance plans during healthcare open enrollment.

Until December 15, Virginians can go to healthcare.gov to sign up for 2020 health insurance plans on the healthcare marketplace. Coverage will begin on January 1, 2020.

"Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare is one of the most pressing concerns of our neighbors across the Seventh District. Especially as so many families face high insurance costs or risk losing their coverage, we need to make sure all of our residents understand the coverage options available to them. As healthcare open enrollment begins, I'm hoping Central Virginia families will take time to sign up for health insurance or review their existing plans and decide if they need to make changes to their coverage," said Spanberger. "Going forward, I'll keep working to protect access to healthcare coverage for all Central Virginians--and I'll keep speaking out against partisan efforts that could strip away these critical healthcare protections."

After December 15, Central Virginians can only enroll or change their plan if they qualify for the Special Enrollment Period. Click here (https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/special-enrollment-period/) to learn more.

Spanberger has continued to push for legislative efforts to stabilize the healthcare marketplace and preserve protections for people with pre-existing conditions. In March 2019, she urged U.S. House committee leaders to prioritize strengthening and reforming the Affordable Care Act and to build a strategy that increases access to affordable healthcare coverage.

Spanberger has also continued to push back against the ongoing healthcare attacks that have caused premiums and uninsured rates to increase across the country. In July 2019, Spanberger spoke out against the U.S. Department of Justice's Texas v. U.S. lawsuit pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which--if successful--would dismantle the entire existing healthcare law.

BACKGROUND

According to the Urban Institute, 642,000 Virginians would lose health insurance coverage by repealing the existing healthcare law through the lawsuit, leading to a 96 percent increase in the Commonwealth's uninsured rate. Additionally, protections for those with pre-existing conditions could be gutted. Approximately 3,441,000 Virginians have a pre-existing condition, including more than 444,000 Virginia children.

Earlier this year, Spanberger spoke on the floor of the U.S. House in opposition to efforts to eliminate healthcare protections from Central Virginians with pre-existing conditions. She also cosponsored and voted in support of a bipartisan resolution to condemn the administration's active legal campaign to gut the existing healthcare law.