FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2020
House Democrats Strengthen ACA, While Trump Asks Supreme Court to Tear Law Down
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán voted to build on the success of the Affordable Care Act to lower health costs and prescription drug prices for all Americans, and to make it easier for states to expand access to the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Barragán joined House Democrats to pass the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act. Today’s vote comes days after the Trump Administration filed a brief asking the Supreme Court to strike down the entirety of the ACA.
“We are in a public health crisis with more than 125,000 Americans dead because of COVID-19. And what does President Trump do? He’s in court, fighting to rip healthcare away from Americans. It’s unconscionable,” Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán said. “Today, we voted to lower healthcare costs for the American people by passing the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Enhancement Act.”
The bill significantly increases the ACA’s affordability subsidies to be more generous and cover more middle-class families. Many Americans will see their health insurance premiums cut in half or more:
• A family of four earning $40,000 would save nearly $1,600 in premiums each year.
• A 64-year-old earning $57,420 would save more than $8,700 in premiums each year.
• A single adult with income of $31,900 would see premiums cut in half.
• An adult earning $19,140 would see premiums cut to zero, saving $800 dollars a year.
The bill also allows the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, which will lower the price of medicines for all Americans. According to a new report from Patients for Affordable Drugs, in the first half of this year, 245 drugs were subject to an average price increase of more than 20 percent. Of these drugs with price hikes, more than 75 percent directly relate to the COVID-19 crisis, including 30 drugs that are currently in clinical trials for their effect against the virus.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act includes a bill written by Barragán to make it easier for states to make more children eligible for the Children’s Health insurance Program.
The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides comprehensive affordable health coverage to eligible children. It is required to cover well-baby and well-child care, dental coverage, behavioral health care, and vaccines.
“Our goal is to make sure every child in this country has access to the medical care she or he needs, when she or he needs it. This bill would get us closer to that goal,” Congresswoman Barragán said. “We need to increase American’s access to healthcare during this critical time, not take it away.”
A fact sheet on the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act is available here.
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Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington.