Pallone on Updated Trumpcare CBO Score

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2017

Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statement today after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued an updated score on the impacts of the amended Trumpcare bill that was passed in the House of Representatives earlier this month:

“Today’s CBO analysis further confirms that Trumpcare is a looming disaster for the American people. It’s clear that changes made at the last minute to garner the necessary votes in the House did nothing to blunt the devastating impacts of Trumpcare. In fact, the new analysis indicates that individuals with pre-existing conditions would be priced out of the individual market as a result of the decision to allow states to waive out of the Affordable Care Act’s insurance market reforms.

“At the end of the day, 23 million Americans could lose health care coverage, millions will pay more for less as premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs rise, and millions will once again be discriminated against because of their pre-existing conditions. This analysis shows the cruelty of Trumpcare’s dramatic changes to the Medicaid program, stripping $834 billion away from seniors, children, pregnant women and people with disabilities in order to give a nearly trillion dollar tax cut to the wealthiest few.”

President Obama's Weekly Address 8/17/13: Working to Implement the Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama said we are on the way to fully implementing the Affordable Care Act and helping millions of Americans. Unfortunately, a group of Republicans in Congress are working to confuse people and are even suggesting they will shut down the government if they cannot shut down the health care law. Health insurance isn’t something to play politics with, and the President will keep working to make sure the law works as it’s supposed to, and he encourages everyone to visit HealthCare.gov to find out more about the law and how to sign up.

U.S. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS OBAMACARE; Ruling Ensures Americans Get to Keep Their Health Care Benefits

For Immediate Release: 

Thursday, June 28, 2012

(NEW JERSEY) - - Today's Supreme Court ruling upholding ObamaCare – agreed on by both Republican and Democratic Justices – is a tremendous victory for all Americans. This is good news because people can continue to get the affordable healthcare and insurance coverage they need and deserve.

 

Senior citizens remain safe from the prescription drug donut hole and can continue to receive free preventative care. People of all ages are still protected from being at the mercy of big insurance companies and can't be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. And young adults have a brighter future because they can still stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26. 

 

“In 2010, The Affordable Care Act was signed, sealed and delivered by President Obama….and today it has rightly been upheld by the United States Supreme court,” said Joshua Henne, New Jersey spokesman for Know Your Care.  “This ruling should also mark the end of partisan attacks and fighting over ObamaCare. It is time for everyone to join together and move forward to fully implement the law.”

 

As of March 2012, over 173,000 New Jerseyans have saved nearly $133 million since 2011 due to the Affordable Care Act. The average savings per beneficiary in New Jersey has been $768 – which is higher than the national average of $635.  Nationwide, over that time, 5.1 million Americans have saved over $3.23 billion.

Earlier this Spring, Governor Chris Christie vetoed state-based health insurance exchange legislation that would have provided access to affordable, quality care to 1.3 million New Jerseyans.  Christie said he was punting on this much-needed bill due to the impending case coming before the Supreme Court.  In light of today’s upholding of the Affordable Care Act, New Jersey residents, families and small businesses shouldn’t have to wait any longer to be able to shop for health insurance.

 

Below are some facts on what the Affordable Care Act has already done:

 

·         Expanded access to insurance: 3.1 million young adults are insured because of the ACA.

 

·         Closed the "donut hole": More than 5.2 million Medicare beneficiaries saved more than $5.2 billion on prescription drugs because of the ACA.

 

·         Provided seniors with free preventive services: More than 32.5 million seniors received preventive care like mammograms and colonoscopies for free in 2011. And 14.3 million have already received at least one preventive service at no cost during the first five months of 2012.

 

·         Kept children healthy and insured: As many as 17 million children with pre-existing conditions already cannot be denied coverage nor have lifetime limits placed on their coverage.

 

·         Expanded preventive care: Approximately 86 million Americans received no-cost preventive care services such as mammograms and colonoscopies.

 

·         Expanded coverage for those with pre-existing conditions: About 60,000 Americans who were denied coverage now have insurance through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.

 

·         Stopped unreasonable premium increases: Now, insurance companies must publicly justify raising rates by 10 percent or more. HHS has granted millions of dollars to states to bolster their ability to stop unreasonable premium increases.

 

·         Held insurers accountable for excessive profits: Insurers must now spend 80 percent of premium dollars on health care coverage and not advertising or executive bonuses. State regulators reported that some companies “have not applied for premium increases and are making adjustments to lower premiums.”

 

·         Eliminated lifetime limits: 105 million Americans no longer have lifetime limits to their insurance coverage.

****

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23^rd, 2010. Over the past two years, it has been a tremendous help to millions of Americans as this real reform lowers costs and guarantees more choice for consumers.  As additional provisions are implemented, ACA will continue to benefit millions more people. 

 

Congressman Frank Pallone's Statement on Supreme Court Ruling to Uphold the Affordable Care Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, June 28, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Senior Democrat on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee and a primary author of Affordable Care Act released the following statement upon the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to uphold the landmark law:

“Today is a great day for the American people.  The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reaffirms our nation’s commitment to make sure that all Americans have access to quality affordable health care and health insurance. 

“For the millions of Americans who have gone without health insurance, the seniors who have struggled due to inadequate coverage, the women, children and young adults that have been denied coverage for preexisting conditions, the Court’s ruling is not only a victory, but a validation that they deserve to have the most basic of human needs met—access to health care.

“The ACA addressed so many of the gaps in the American health care system from closing the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole,’ to stopping the practice of denying those with preexisting conditions insurance coverage, to claiming womanhood as a preexisting health condition, to allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ coverage.  This law has changed the way our country manages and delivers all phases of our health care system and I am proud to have been a part of its creation and prouder still today to learn of the Court’s decision to uphold its constitutionality.”