February 2021

Yesterday, Biden selected Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Brooks-LaSure previously served as a senior CMS official during the Obama administration and was instrumental in implementing the Affordable Care Act. Coverage shows she is a strong health care advocate with the experience needed to expand access to health care coverage, make care more affordable, and get the pandemic under control. 

Politico: Brooks-LaSure “Will Play A Leading Role In Crafting Biden’s Plans To Expand On The Health Care Law — And Unwind Much Of The Trump Administration’s Efforts To Minimize It.” “Brooks-LaSure, an Obama administration veteran who oversaw implementation of Obamacare, if confirmed will play a leading role in crafting Biden’s plans to expand on the health care law – and unwind much of the Trump administration’s efforts to minimize it.” [Politico, 2/17/21] 

Brooks-LaSure Helped Draft The Affordable Care Act As A Health Staffer On The House Ways And Means Committee. “Prior to her stint in the Obama administration, she worked on parts of Obamacare during the law’s drafting as a health staffer on the House Ways and Means Committee. It was there she forged working ties with then-Rep. Xavier Becerra, Biden’s nominee to run the health department that houses CMS.” [Politico, 2/17/21] 

CNN: “Brooks-LaSure Would Be A Key Player In Executing Biden’s Promises To Rebuild The Affordable Care Act And Strengthen Medicaid.” “Brooks-LaSure would be a key player in executing Biden’s promises to rebuild the Affordable Care Act and strengthen Medicaid — as well as institute a government-run public option and lower Medicare’s eligibility age to 60, from 65. The $1 trillion agency, the largest within HHS, oversees much of Obamacare and the federal exchange, Healthcare.gov. In total, more than 145 million Americans receive their health coverage through programs the agency administers, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Affordable Care Act.” [CNN, 2/17/21] 

CNN: “Brooks-LSure Would Be Tasked With Reversing Many Of The Policies Put In Place By Her Predecessor, Seema Verma.” “Brooks-LaSure would be tasked with reversing many of the policies put in place by her predecessor, Seema Verma, who served as the agency’s administrator for nearly four years. Under Verma’s tenure, CMS slashed funding for Obamacare marketing and outreach, cut the open enrollment period in half and promoted the use of private insurance brokers over non-profit navigators to help people find coverage.” [CNN, 2/17/21] 

Stat: “Brooks-LaSure Is Well-Positioned To Pursue One Of Biden’s Signature Campaign Promises: Strengthening And Expanding The Affordable Care Act.” “Brooks-LaSure is well-positioned to pursue one of Biden’s signature campaign promises: strengthening and expanding the Affordable Care Act. She was a key drafter of the law as a staffer on the House Ways and Means Committee. Brooks-LaSure later held high-profile positions in two offices tasked with implementing the ACA: the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight and the Office of Health Reform.” [Stat, 2/17/21] 

Stat: Brooks-LaSure Would “Inherit An Agency Dogged By Countless Controversies During The Trump Administration.” “Brooks-LaSure would also inherit an agency dogged by countless controversies during the Trump administration. Many centered on the former CMS administrator, Seema Verma, who pursued policies that transformed the agency’s mission and repeatedly landed it in court. Brooks-LaSure would inherit those lawsuits, most notably a Supreme Court case set to be argued in March challenging the agency’s new policy of denying health coverage to unemployed Medicaid beneficiaries.” [Stat, 2/17/21] 

After just one month in office, President Biden has proven he is a health care president. President Biden has taken swift action to expand coverage, lower costs, and reduce racial disparities in health care all while working to contain the coronavirus pandemic. President Biden has proposed the American Rescue Plan to help the country get the pandemic under control, put forth policies that will build on the strong foundation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), opened a special enrollment period to help Americans get coverage, removed barriers to enrolling in Medicaid, and reversed the Trump administration’s dangerous position trying to invalidate the ACA. This is a stark contrast from the past four years of Republican sabotage on health care. 

On Increasing Health Care Access & Prioritizing Health Care Equity 

• President Biden reopened HealthCare.gov for a special enrollment period to help Americans gain coverage as they continue to suffer from the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. Reopening the ACA Marketplace means nearly 9 million people will be eligible for free or subsidized health insurance coverage.
• The Biden administration will invest $50 million in marketing and education efforts during the special enrollment period to reach groups that have historically experienced lower access to health coverage and greater disparities in health outcomes.
• President Biden established a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force to mitigate the health disparities revealed and exacerbated by the pandemic. 
• President Biden directed federal agencies to consider actions to strengthen and protect access to health care. 

On Reversing Trump Sabotage

• The Biden administration announced it will defend the Affordable Care Act in California v. Texas, the lawsuit before the Supreme Court to completely dismantle the law. This move reverses the Trump administration’s support for ripping away coverage from more than 20 million Americans and protections for 135 million people with pre-existing conditions.
• President Biden directed federal agencies to re-examine policies that undermine the ACA and Medicaid. These policies include:
• Policies that undermine protections for people with pre-existing conditions, including COVID-19
• ACA and Medicaid waivers that could reduce enrollment, including Medicaid work requirements
• Policies that undermine the ACA Marketplace 
• Policies that make it more difficult to enroll in the ACA or Medicaid
• Policies that reduce coverage affordability or limit financial assistance 
• The Biden administration sent letters to states signaling it would end Trump’s disastrous work requirements program. 

On The American Rescue Plan

• Upon taking office, President Biden immediately introduced the American Rescue Plan, a bold plan designed to combat the COVID-19 crisis. The package includes important measures to reduce health care costs and expand coverage for low- and middle-class families, many of whom may be out of work or facing income loss during the pandemic. The legislation is working through Congress and expected to pass in the coming weeks. The American Rescue plan: 
  • Lowers health care costs for millions by increasing financial assistance in the exchanges for the next two years and making financial assistance more widely available to middle class families, ensuring people purchasing coverage on the ACA marketplaces will not pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for coverage. Similar legislation previously passed by the House would lower costs for more than 10 million Americans and provide affordable options for uninsured Americans at a time when access to health care is paramount. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 1.3 million uninsured people would gain coverage as a result of these provisions alone. 
  • Expands coverage by providing robust financial incentives for the 14 states that have not yet implemented Medicaid expansion. For example, Georgia would receive nearly $2 billion in federal funding over the next two years, more than enough to cover the cost of expansion. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, if these states implemented expansion, nearly four million uninsured adults — including 640,000 frontline workers — could gain coverage.
  • Increases vaccine distribution by investing $160 billion in direct COVID-19 response, including ramping up vaccination efforts, boosting testing, shoring up supplies of PPE, expanding sequencing and analytics efforts, and hiring 100,000 public health workers. This much needed funding will make sure more Americans are able to get vaccinated more quickly, which is key to getting the pandemic under control.
  • Strengthens health care in vulnerable communities by providing health services for underserved populations, including expanding Community Health Centers and investing in health services on tribal lands. These funds will support the expansion of COVID treatment and care as well as provide the vaccine to underserved populations.

On Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) opened the Affordable Care Act Marketplace for enrollment as Americans continue to face the health and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. This move ensures that everyone—including those who lost employer coverage and those who were uninsured before the crisis—can get covered beyond the standard open enrollment period. The Trump administration refused to take this important step despite pleas from health care experts, health insurers and lawmakers. 

Open enrollment under President Biden will look significantly different from the past four years. In 2017, Trump cut the outreach and advertising budget for enrollment by 90 percent. Funding for advertising and outreach remained at diminished levels for the 2021 enrollment period, even as millions lost coverage as a result of the pandemic. The Trump administration also cut the number of days people could sign up for coverage during open enrollment by half, from 90 days to 45 days. This was on top of ongoing efforts to dismantle the ACA, which undoubtedly created confusion among consumers. Unsurprisingly, millions lost coverage under Trump even before the pandemic. 

The Biden administration, on the other hand, is spending five times more on education and outreach during this special enrollment period than Trump spent for the standard enrollment period. The Biden administration has also pledged to prioritize reaching groups that historically have experienced lower access to health coverage and greater disparities in health outcomes. President Biden is also leading the charge to pass the American Rescue Plan which includes key provisions to expand coverage and lower health care costs for American families.

What a difference a new administration makes. For four years, Donald Trump and his Republican allies waged a war on America’s health care. President Biden opening a special enrollment period four years to the day of Donald Trump trying to tear apart the ACA marketplaces is a prime example of the stark differences between these two administrations.

THEN: “Trump Administration’s New Health Rule Would Reduce Tax Credits, Raise Costs, For Millions of Moderate-Income Families.” “The Trump Administration’s new proposed rule on health care would raise premiums, out-of-pocket costs, or both for millions of moderate-income families…If finalized as proposed, the rule would reduce the amount of health care that marketplace plans have to cover. As a result, the rule would force millions of families to choose between higher premiums and worse coverage.” [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2/15/17] 

NOW: President Biden To Open Up The Federal Health Insurance Marketplace For Three Months. “The move is in stark contrast to the Trump administration’s approach. As covid-19 took hold last spring and the economy imploded, health experts pleaded with the Trump administration to open up the federal marketplace so people could buy insurance to protect themselves during the worst public health emergency in a century…The Biden administration is promising to spend $50 million on outreach and education to get the word out about the new special enrollment period. That’s critical, experts said. [Kaiser Health News, 2/16/21] 

Robust Outreach and Education Campaign WIll Reach More Americans with Information About Affordable Coverage Options

Washington, DC — Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) opened the Affordable Care Act Marketplace for enrollment, as Americans continue to face the health and economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. President Biden enacted the special enrollment period with a January executive order. The Marketplace opens today and will remain open through Saturday, May 15. According to CMS, 9 in 10 current Marketplace enrollees receive financial help, and 75 percent of consumers can find a plan for $50 or less. CMS will also launch outreach efforts including broadcast, radio, and digital advertising to let people know they may be eligible for subsidies. These outreach efforts will prioritize reaching groups that historically have experienced lower access to health coverage and greater disparities in health outcomes. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“President Biden is delivering on his health care promises. For four years, Republicans waged a war on America’s health care. President Biden is doing the opposite. Thanks to the President’s actions, millions of Americans will now be able to buy affordable quality health insurance for themselves and their families. This is so important during this pandemic, when millions have lost their job or can no longer afford their insurance and where every American is worried about their access to health care. The President’s announcement of a $50 million marketing campaign will mean more Americans know that affordable health insurance is now within their reach. This move comes on the heels of a historic week for health care, where the House Democrats strengthened the already substantial health care provisions proposed by President Biden in the American Rescue Plan. It’s clear President Biden and Democrats are using every tool at their disposal to build on the strong foundation of the Affordable Care Act to lower costs and expand coverage.”