Wolf Administration Testifies Before U.S. Senate Committee on Bipartisan Fixes to Strengthen Affordable Care Act
Acting Secretary Miller praised the committee, which is led by Senator
"Both
"The concerns of
Acting Secretary Miller shared opportunities for improvements that could help address stability and affordability, including:
* Allocating funds to ensure that payments for cost-sharing reductions continue for at least all of 2018;
* Streamlining the process for obtaining Section 1332 State Innovation waivers without jeopardizing baseline coverage improvements made by the Affordable Care Act;
* Preserving the individual mandate;
* Making outstanding payments owed under risk stabilization programs and creating a new long-term reinsurance program to moderate the premium increases that have occurred due to market instability;
* Reversing cuts made by the
* Working to understand and address the underlying costs of health care that are growing at an unsustainable rate and have a significant impact on premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
"While the health reform debate has without question been partisan, the goals we are trying to achieve are not, and recognizing the real problems that exist in our health care system should not be either," Miller said. "We all want Americans to have access to the care they need and be able to afford that care. We also want them to have choices, and that means supporting a competitive health insurance marketplace that can provide that choice.
"Let's start by recognizing where consumers may not have that access or affordability, and let's understand where we are not supporting the competitive market we need," she said. "Then, taking a lead from
Acting Secretary Miller's full testimony is available at http://www.insurance.pa.gov/Pages/Testimony_Speeches.aspx.
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