FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán marked the 11th anniversary of the landmark Affordable Care Act by highlighting transformative health care savings for hard-working Californians thanks to the Biden American Rescue Plan. The plan builds on the ACA’s critical benefits by lowering the cost of coverage and expanding eligibility for federal subsidies to millions of Americans.
“No one should be without health care, especially during a pandemic,” Congresswoman Barragán said. “On this day 11 years ago, President Obama made history as he signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Today millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions, have access to quality care thanks to the ACA.”
Under the American Rescue Plan’s affordability enhancements for the Affordable Care Act, Californians won’t have to pay more than 8.5 percent of household income on a benchmark silver plan in the Marketplace plan per year. For California, the Biden American Rescue Plan will:
- Create significant savings for many Californians in the marketplaces. For example, a 60-year-old couple in California that earns $75,000 per year, under the American Rescue plan, will see their premium payments lowered by $1,270 per month.
- Further reduce the cost of health care coverage for consumers currently receiving financial assistance, including 57,100 Californians with incomes below 150 percent of the poverty level who will now be eligible for plans with a zero dollar monthly premium.
- Make 394,000 currently uninsured Californians newly eligible for receiving subsidies to make their health coverage more affordable in the Marketplaces.
These improvements build on the landmark protections the Affordable Care Act for Americans no matter where they get health coverage, including:
- Protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions;
- An end to insurance companies charging women more than men for the same coverage;
- A ban insurers placing annual and lifetime caps on coverage;
- Guaranteed essential health benefits including requirements that insurance companies cover prescription drugs and maternity care;
- Key support for rural hospitals;
- Lower prescription drug costs for nearly 12 million seniors;
- Allows young people to stay on their parent’s health insurance until age 26.
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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. She serves as chairwoman of the Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Border Security.