News

Washington, DC – Today, President Biden celebrated the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) at the White House. President Biden was introduced by Teresa Acosta, whose family, including her son with Type 1 diabetes, relies on the ACA for affordable coverage.  During the speech, President Biden emphasized his administration’s commitment to building on the ACA, a stark contrast to the GOP agenda of repealing the ACA and the Inflation Reduction Act and hiking costs for millions of seniors and families.

Thanks to the ACA, health outcomes have improved across all age groups, medical debt has decreased, and financial security is stronger for families. We’ve also seen stark inequities in care narrow – both for rural Americans and communities of color who have traditionally faced serious barriers to health care. When paired with policies to address other social and structural determinants of health, expanding access to care improves the health and well-being of every American. Read Protect Our Care’s ACA anniversary fact sheet here. 

Thanks to the tireless work of President Biden and Democrats in Congress, the 2023 open enrollment period was the most successful in history — with almost 16 million Americans signing up for coverage. Coupled with the health law’s expansion of Medicaid, protections for people with preexisting conditions and cost-saving measures, the ACA has touched the lives of nearly every person in the nation. 

HEADLINES

Washington Post: President Biden Calls Out Republicans Seeking to Repeal the Affordable Care Act. “Today, before heading to Ottawa to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President Biden used an event marking the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act to criticize congressional Republicans for wanting to repeal the now-popular program enacted under President Barack Obama — saying that would have ‘a devastating impact on the American people.’ Biden said the ACA moved the country in the direction of ‘the fundamental principle that we hold as Democrats and Americans that health care is a right, not a privilege.’” [Washington Post, 3/23/23]

Fox News: President Biden Says Saving Lives “Doesn’t Mean Much to Our Republican Friends.” “Biden criticized ‘MAGA Republicans’ for their opposition to the ACA at the White House event, which had former Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Vice President Kamala Harris and many other top-level Democrats in attendance. ‘The Affordable Care Act has been law for 13 years. It has developed deep roots in this country,’ Biden said. ‘It has become a critical part of our healthcare and saving lives.’ Biden added that ‘MAGA Republicans’ are intent on repealing the ACA, despite Biden’s claims that it would have a ‘devastating impact’ on Americans.” [Fox News, 3/23/23]

WSAZ: Biden Celebrates 13th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. “President Joe Biden on Thursday marked the 13th anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Biden gave remarks from the White House on the key accomplishments of the landmark bill. He highlighted how the law has resulted in quality health care for more than 40 million Americans and lowered costs for families. Biden also mentioned steps he has taken as president to boost the legislation, including capping out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors on Medicare. The president slammed House Republican proposals the White House dubbed a ‘five-alarm fire.’ Biden called out the House Freedom Caucus’ proposed budget, which he says will increase health care costs and push the biggest cut to Medicare in decades.” [WSAZ, 3/23/23]

The Hill: What We Have Gained 13 Years Later From the Affordable Care Act. “A reported 13.6 million Americans got insurance in 2021 alone via that ACA marketplaces. Closing the prescription drug “donut hole” saved millions of Medicare recipients billions of dollars, and 2022 surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Morning Consult found that a majority of Americans approve of the ACA. Staunch Republican opposition is shrinking. It turns out that public opinion is even more striking when you ask folks about specific ACA provisions. For example: 90 percent of Americans support prohibiting health insurance companies from denying coverage for people with preexisting conditions; 89 percent support requiring health insurance companies to cover the cost for most preventive services; 88 percent support prohibiting health insurance companies from denying coverage to pregnant women; 87 percent support prohibiting health insurance companies from charging sick people more, and the same percentage support giving states the option to expand Medicaid; 85 percent support providing financial help to low- and moderate-income Americans to purchase coverage; and 78 percent support allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26. More than 35 million Americans have health insurance today because of the ACA — men, women and children who are benefiting from lower cost and higher quality health care coverage. They can thank the vision and courage of leaders such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and former Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), who socialized the issue and worked to secure the history-making votes in Congress.” [The Hill, 3/23/23]

MSNBC: The Affordable Care Act Has Never Been Stronger Than Today. “After the Affordable Care Act became law 13 years ago today, there were plenty of points at which its future appeared to be in doubt. Legal challenges put the ACA in jeopardy — including three separate cases that went to the U.S. Supreme Court. After Donald Trump’s 2016 election, the fate of Obamacare appeared sealed. All the while, Republicans made all kinds of predictions about the ACA’s imminent failure and disastrous consequences. Obamacare, the GOP insisted, would create ‘armageddon.’ Thirteen years later, it’s now obvious that Republicans were wrong and the ACA’s proponents were right. In fact, thanks entirely to the reform law, the nation’s uninsured rate has never been lower. Just as important is the fact that health insurance has never been more affordable than it is now: Democrats included generous new ACA subsidies in the party’s American Rescue Plan in 2021, with some consumers seeing their premiums fall to nearly or literally zero, thanks entirely to the investments in the Democrats’ relief package. Those benefits were extended last year — though many congressional Republicans are eager to roll back the benefits and force premiums higher. The ACA is working; it’s popular; it’s affordable; it’s advancing; it’s withstood far too many legal challenges; and it no longer has a Republican-imposed target on its back. Thirteen years ago today, this dynamic was hard to predict, but to the benefit of tens of millions of American families, it’s the truth.” [MSNBC, 3/23/23]

North Carolina Expands Medicaid, Giving 600,000 Residents Access to Affordable Health Care

Washington DC — Today, on the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) being signed into law, North Carolina became the 40th state to expand Medicaid, extending affordable health care to 600,000 North Carolinians. This move will especially help low-income workers, moms and children, people with disabilities, and Black, Brown, Indigenous, and rural residents. 

Before today, North Carolina was just one of 11 states that have refused Medicaid expansion. Democratic Governor Roy Cooper has fought tirelessly for Medicaid expansion, making it one of his central priorities since taking office in 2017. Already, about 3.5 million North Carolinians rely on Medicaid and the ACA for health coverage, or 33 percent of the state population. In addition to securing coverage for those who need it, this measure will strengthen the economy, boost support for rural hospitals and other safety net providers, relieve hardships for families living in poverty, and — together with policies that focus on other social and structural determinants of health — reduce gaps where people can’t get the health care they need to thrive if they live in certain places or are of certain backgrounds.

In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement: 

“Governor Cooper, Democratic lawmakers, and advocates fought tirelessly for North Carolina’s Medicaid expansion for years — and now, on the 13th anniversary of the ACA being signed into law, they got it over the finish line. This is a victory for North Carolinians and a victory for the 600,000 individuals and their families who will now have access to lifesaving care. Medicaid expansion is especially significant for moms and kids, people of color, folks living in rural areas, people with disabilities, and other communities who face extreme barriers to accessing care and suffer worse health outcomes. This is a critical step to increase coverage and make health care more affordable.

“Even as Republicans in Washington try to gut the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, this bipartisan action shows what can happen in the states after years of gridlock because the people demanded it.”

Background

More North Carolinians’ Lives Will Be Saved. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Medicaid expansion saved the lives of 19,200 older adults aged 55 to 64 between 2014 and 2017. A study published in the Journal of Health Economics found that Medicaid expansion reduced mortality in non-elderly adults by nearly four percent. Medicaid expansion will insure over 365,000 North Carolinians, saving them millions of dollars and increasing access to quality and affordable health care.

North Carolinians Will Receive Expanded Services. Medicaid expansion has helped patients access preventive care, including colon cancer screenings. Expansion also increased patient access to kidney transplants and made diabetes medication more affordable for low-income patients. The program was also tied to earlier diagnoses of colorectal cancer and reducing diabetes-related amputations.

North Carolina Will See Reduced Racial Disparities in Health Care. The ACA led to historic reductions in racial disparities in access to health care, but racial gaps in insurance coverage narrowed the most in states that adopted Medicaid expansion. States that expanded their Medicaid programs saw a 51 percent reduction in the gap between uninsured white and Black adults after expansion and a 45 percent reduction between white and Hispanic adults. There is evidence already that North Carolina’s adoption of Medicaid Expansion will not just follow these trends, but secondarily increase economic activity throughout the state and reduce economic inequities as well.

North Carolina’s 4.6 Million Rural Residents Will Secure Better Care. The uninsured rate for low-income adults dropped from 35 percent to 16 percent in rural areas and small towns in states that expanded Medicaid. Investigations into North Carolina have found areas in the western part of the state will see uninsurance rates drop by over 8 percent, with that number being even higher for those without a high school education. Research also confirms that rural hospitals in Medicaid expansion states are 62 percent less likely to close, and 75 percent of vulnerable rural hospitals are in non-expansion states.

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 23***

U.S. Representatives Elissa Slotkin (MI-07), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), and Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, and Health Care Advocates Join Protect Our Care to Discuss How Democrats Have Fought to Strengthen the ACA

On Thursday, March 23, U.S. Representatives Elissa Slotkin (MI-07), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), and Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, and health care advocates will join Protect Our Care in Michigan, Wisconsin, California, and Arizona to highlight the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and discuss how people across the country have benefitted from the law, which expanded access to quality, affordable health care. The historic legislation eliminated lifetime caps, expanded Medicaid, and secured protections for millions of people living with pre-existing conditions. The Inflation Reduction Act built on the strong foundation of the ACA by lowering premiums for middle- and working-class families by an average of $2,400 a year. Thanks to the ACA, more than 21 million Americans have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, and Medicaid has become a pillar of the American health care system, demonstrating the overwhelming need and desire for affordable health coverage.

Thanks to the ACA, health plans are also required to cover preventive care services without cost-sharing. Access to preventive care has improved health outcomes and reduced economic inequity. The ACA has helped reduce longstanding disparities in coverage rates, improving health care access for children, rural Americans, people with disabilities, and people of color across the nation.

Speakers will also highlight ongoing Republican attacks on health care, and celebrate how  President Biden and Democrats in Congress have made historic investments to secure the future of American health care. Thanks to their vision and determination, people can now sleep easier at night knowing President Biden and Democrats in Congress are hard at work to expand health coverage and lower health care and prescription drug costs.

MICHIGAN
WHO:
U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin
Laura Appel of the Michigan Health & Hospital Association
Laura Bonnell, Bonnell Foundation director
Sarah Stark, diabetic and Michigan resident

WHEN: Thursday, March 23 at 11:00 AM ET

WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)

WISCONSIN
WHO:
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers
Kat, marketplace consumer from Milwaukee
Chad, marketplace consumer from Central Wisconsin
Mary, retired nurse from SE Wisconsin

WHEN: Thursday, March 23 at 11:30 AM CT

WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)

CALIFORNIA
WHO:
U.S. Representative Judy Chu
U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez
Michael Lawson, President, Los Angeles Urban League
Susan Meyer, California Alliance for Retired Americans 

WHEN: Thursday, March 23 at 10:00 AM PT

WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)

ARIZONA
WHO:
Matt Jewett, Children’s Action Alliance
Alison Farrell, Arizona mother and entrepreneur
Ron Barber, Former Arizona Congressman 

WHEN: Thursday, March 23 at 2:00 PM MST

WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)

ACA Anniversary Comes As Republicans Reignite War on Health Care

Washington DC — Thirteen years ago today, President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, and millions of Americans gained quality health care as a result. In the years since, Democrats have stopped Republican efforts to repeal the ACA, and they have built on the health care law by passing the Inflation Reduction Act to deliver lower health care and prescription drug costs for millions of seniors and families across the nation. 

Over the past 13 years, we’ve seen health outcomes improve across all age groups, medical debt decrease, and stronger financial security for families. We’ve also seen stark inequities in care narrow – both for rural Americans and communities of color who have traditionally faced serious barriers to health care. When coupled with policies to address other social and structural determinants of health, expanding access to care improves the health and well-being of every American.  

Thanks to the tireless work of President Biden and Democrats in Congress, the 2023 open enrollment period was the most successful in history — with almost 16 million Americans signing up for coverage. Coupled with the health law’s expansion of Medicaid, protections for people with preexisting conditions and cost-saving measures, the ACA has touched the lives of nearly every person in the nation. Read Protect Our Care’s ACA anniversary fact sheet here. 

“The ACA is a pillar of our health care system,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Thanks to the ACA, millions of people with pre-existing conditions like diabetes or asthma are protected, people who buy insurance on their own can afford their premiums, more than 21 million people are covered through Medicaid expansion, and over 150 millions patients have access to free cancer screenings and other preventive care. Thirteen years in, the law is now built into the fabric of America and is only getting stronger.”

“On the ACA’s 13th anniversary, it’s important not to lose sight of Republicans’ war on health care,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “They want to raise costs on families, they want to go back to a time where people with pre-existing conditions paid more, and they want to keep siding with Big Pharma and insurance companies. While President Biden and Democrats in Congress have worked tirelessly to build on the ACA and ensure affordable, quality health care for every American, the GOP is still fighting to cut the ACA, reject Medicaid expansion, and undermine the law’s protections in the courts. Some things never change: Republicans want to raise health costs, ditch critical protections, and put profits over patients.” 

Background:

Republicans Want To Gut The ACA

Thirteen years after the passage of the ACA, Republicans’ threat of repeal is as real as ever. Republicans are consulting with Russ Vought, Trump’s former Office of Management and Budget Chief, to navigate debt ceiling negotiations. Vought’s plan would cut $2 trillion from Medicaid alone, disproportionately impacting children, rural Americans, and people of color. Vought is also advocating for $600 billion in cuts to the ACA, which would rip coverage from 20 million Americans and raise premiums for nearly 15 million more.   Meanwhile the House Freedom Caucus has proposed draconian budget cuts and onerous work requirements designed to strip Medicaid coverage from millions of Americans who rely on it. 

If Republicans get their way and the Affordable Care Act is repealed:

• GONE: Protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, including 54 million people with a pre-existing condition that would make them completely uninsurable.
• GONE: Medicaid expansion, which covers more than 21 million people. 
• GONE: 49 million seniors will have to pay more for prescription drugs because the Medicare ‘donut hole’ will be reopened.
• GONE: 2.3 million adult children will no longer be able to stay on their parents’ insurance. 
• GONE: Insurance companies will be able to charge women more than men.
• GONE: Premium tax credits that help 80 percent of people who purchase health care on the marketplace.
• GONE: Key support for rural hospitals. 
• GONE: Ban on insurance companies having lifetime caps on coverage.
• GONE: Requirements that insurance companies cover prescription drugs and maternity care.
• GONE: 61.5 million Medicare beneficiaries will face higher costs and disruptions to their medical care. 

Watch the Event Here.

Washington, DC – Today, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi joined Protect Our Care and health care storytellers for an intimate round table discussion to mark the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). During the event, speakers reflected on the achievements of the ACA and how their lives have improved since its passage.

Speaker Pelosi was instrumental in getting the ACA over the finish line and giving millions peace of mind knowing they can afford the care they need. Not only was Nancy Pelosi central to its passage, but she thwarted Republican efforts to repeal the ACA and its protections for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. In the last year alone, she built on the ACA by passing the Inflation Reduction Act to deliver lower health care and prescription drug costs for millions of seniors and families across the nation. This past open enrollment period was the most successful in the history of the ACA with almost 16 million signing up for coverage, proving these policies have touched the lives of nearly every person in the nation, providing patients with lifesaving care.

“We are celebrating the great mobilization not just to pass the Affordable Care Act, but also to save it,” said U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11), Speaker Emerita of the House. “This anniversary is the happiest day of my public life because of what it means for people. This legislation saved lives, but it would not have happened without our grassroots.”  

“It is no exaggeration that my daughter Xiomara and countless children with complex medical needs and disabilities like her are alive today because of the ACA,” said Elena Hung, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Little Lobbyists. “So that is what the ACA means to me and to families like mine, that we give our children a chance for a childhood, a chance to grow up and that we get to celebrate more birthdays with them.” 

“Without the ACA, I would have had to make choices over mortgage or health care. The ACA has become such an integral part of life that we take for granted. It’s not only saved lives, it’s saved bankruptcies, it’s saved the ability to change jobs,” said Amy Raslevich from Pittsburgh, PA, Storyteller. 

“I was diagnosed with type one diabetes in 2007 – it was my third day of my freshman year of high school. Thankfully, my dad was in the Navy at the time so I had TRICARE but as I was creeping towards the end of high school, it was getting really scary for what my future was gonna look like once I could no longer be on my dad’s insurance. He was starting to put money to the side thinking that we were gonna have to pay out of pocket for a lot of not just my insulin, but all the supplies,” said Rhena Hicks from Norfolk, VA, Storyteller. “The ACA allowed me to stay on my dad’s insurance and to live an easier life with Type 1 Diabetes.” 

“Our pregnancy with my son was completely normal. We didn’t find out till about 24 hours after he was born that he had a serious heart defect and he eventually needed a heart transplant. Our journey, our fight, and our benefits from the ACA are innumerable. He’s not going to have to worry about getting coverage in the future,” said Steve Gomez from Phoenix, AZ, Storyteller. “My wife and I had many sleepless nights during the repeal fight. If they repeal this, what’s going to happen to us?” 

“Thirteen years later, the ACA is a pillar of our health care system,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Nearly every person in this country has been touched by the ACA, whether you’re someone with a pre-existing condition like diabetes or asthma protected from discrimination, a small business owner purchasing affordable coverage on your own, or someone who relies on free cancer screenings and other preventive care — that’s all thanks to the health care law. We would not be here today without the tireless efforts of Speaker Pelosi and health care advocates across the nation who ensured the law’s passage, defended it from repeal, and are now working to make the ACA even stronger.” 

“We owe a great deal of thanks to the health care storytellers who continue to shine a bright light on what the law means to them and millions of other families across the country. Together, we’ve defended the health care law from Republican attacks, and we’ve worked to build on its success to make health care more affordable for millions of families. And this is just the beginning — we will continue to work to ensure everyone in this country has quality, affordable health care,” said Protect Our Care National Organizing Director Adam Hoyer.

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 AT 11 AM ET***

Over 13 Years, Nancy Pelosi Has Championed the Passage, Protection, and Expansion of the ACA, Ensuring Affordable Health Care for Millions of Families Nationwide

Washington, DC – On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 11 AM ET, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will join Protect Our Care and storytellers in an intimate round table discussion to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Speakers will reflect on the achievements of the ACA and how they have been personally affected by its passage. 

Speaker Pelosi was instrumental in getting the ACA over the finish line and giving millions peace of mind knowing they can afford the care they need. Not only was Nancy Pelosi central to its passage, but she thwarted Republican efforts to repeal the ACA and its protections for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. In the last year alone, she built on the ACA by passing the Inflation Reduction Act to deliver lower health care and prescription drug costs for millions of seniors and families across the nation. This past open enrollment period was the most successful in the history of the ACA with almost 16 million signing up for coverage, proving these policies have touched the lives of nearly every person in the nation, providing patients with lifesaving care.

ROUND TABLE:

WHO:
U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12), Speaker Emerita of the House
Leslie Dach, Founder and Chair, Protect Our Care
Adam Hoyer, National Organizing Director, Protect Our Care
Steve Gomez from Phoenix, AZ, Storyteller
Rhena Hicks from Norfolk, VA, Storyteller
Elena Hung, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Little Lobbyists
Amy Raslevich from Pittsburgh, PA, Storyteller

WHAT: ACA Anniversary Round Table Discussion with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi

WHERE: Watch the live stream here 

WHEN:  Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 11 AM ET

Call Comes as Tri-Caucus Leaders and Civil Rights Organizations Release a Letter Urging for Preservation of Medicaid Coverage as Public Health Emergency Ends

Watch the Full Event Here.

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives and Tri-Caucus Chairs Nanette Barragán, Judy Chu, and Steven Horsford, joined civil rights leaders and Protect Our Care for a press conference releasing a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) calling for state and federal action to keep families in America covered as Medicaid’s continuous coverage requirement ends. The letter stresses the importance of states meeting their obligations to ensure that millions of people in America do not lose critical health care coverage, and calls on HHS to clearly define and enforce states’ legal obligations. The Tri-Caucus letter is supported by Protect Our Care, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Coalition on Human Needs, Families USA, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, NAACP, National Urban League, and UnidosUS.

Congress passed legislation at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect access to Medicaid by ensuring no one could be disenrolled during the public health emergency. This provision, which has helped secure the lowest level of uninsured Americans ever, is set to expire on April 1. This would potentially result in an estimated 15 million people potentially losing coverage, disproportionately affecting people of color and children. The Biden-Harris administration has committed to expanding access to care and providing guidance to states to assess eligibility in a way that will minimize coverage losses, particularly for children, people of color, people with disabilities, and others who rely on the Medicaid program for their health care.

“Millions of Latinos were able to access life-saving health insurance coverage as a result of the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement and these historic gains must not be erased when states resume Medicaid unwinding,” said U.S. Representative and CHC Chair Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44). “As states begin to review Medicaid eligibility, millions of low-income beneficiaries are at risk of becoming uninsured if the program operates as it did in the past. Sixty-four percent of Latinos covered by Medicaid are poised to lose coverage, despite remaining eligible. Secretary Becerra must act boldly and use his new enforcement authority to minimize disparities in coverage rates and affordability of care. I thank my Tri-Caucus colleagues for highlighting the dire need to keep Americans covered as Medicaid’s continuous coverage requirement ends.”

“I am gravely concerned that when states resume the ‘unwinding’ of the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement in April, millions of low-income beneficiaries, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) and other communities of color, will unnecessarily lose essential health insurance,” said U.S. Representative and CAPAC Chair Judy Chu (D-CA-28). “Once Medicaid terminations resume, nearly one million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders stand to lose coverage, and one-tenth of all Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander children will be dropped from the program. Secretary Becerra must use his new enforcement authority to protect health care access for all struggling families and enrolled children, including those belonging to AANHPI communities.”

“We cannot afford to roll back the hard-fought progress we have made on Medicaid, which has helped to narrow racial disparities in health coverage and provide much needed access to life-saving care in communities of color. If Medicaid terminations resume, more than 2 million Black Americans nationwide will lose access to life-saving health care despite their eligibility,” said U.S. Representative and CBC Chair Steven Horsford (D-NV-04). “The Congressional Black Caucus has long prioritized advancing equity in health care in our communities and we join our Tri-Caucus colleagues in calling on HHS Secretary Becerra to take action to preserve beneficiary access to Medicaid coverage and stop eligible Medicaid families from improperly losing health care coverage.”

“Medicaid Unwinding puts millions of families, including one million Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander individuals, at risk of being uninsured. We know that so many people across federal and state administrations are working hard to preserve and assist these vulnerable individuals, but more needs to be done. Our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities require support, including more in-language materials, Navigators, and outreach from trusted messengers to ensure no one is left behind,” said Juliet K. Choi, President and CEO, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.

“The Medicaid redetermination period will be perilous for communities of color without meaningful state efforts and federal oversight,” said Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League. “Forty-seven percent of Black people covered by Medicaid are poised to lose coverage – despite remaining eligible – simply because of red tape. We thank the leadership and members of the Tri Caucus for engaging on this vital civil rights issue.”

“An historic number of Americans, including five million Latinos, are likely to lose their health coverage unless the Biden-Harris Administration acts quickly and boldly to protect Medicaid. Absent immediate intervention, when the continuous coverage requirements expire on April 1, our country faces the loss of health care for millions of families and children and the exacerbation of the health inequities that made the pandemic so deadly for so many communities. For the benefit of all Americans, we must not let this happen. UnidosUS joins with the Congressional Tri-Caucus in urging the Administration to use every tool at its disposal to prevent this potential public health catastrophe,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO, UnidosUS.

“It’s imperative that states take the necessary steps to ensure that millions of Americans don’t lose their critical health care coverage. Failing to take appropriate action will have devastating impacts on the people who rely on Medicaid for their health care, particularly moms and kids, people of color, rural Americans, and people with disabilities. These risks are particularly acute in states with Republican governors or state legislatures that have refused to expand Medicaid. We support the Tri-Caucus effort and the commitment of the Biden administration to ensure that everyone who is eligible for coverage stays covered,” said Leslie Dach, Founder and Chair, Protect Our Care.

***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 20 AT 10:00 AM PT // 1:00 PM EST***

 LAS VEGAS, NV — On Monday, March 20 at 10:00 am, Congresswoman Dina Titus, Congresswoman Susie Lee, Nevada Health Link Chief Operations Officer Janel Davis, and health care advocates will join Protect Our Care Nevada to highlight the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and discuss how Nevadans have benefitted from the law, which expanded access to quality, affordable health care. The historic legislation eliminated lifetime caps, expanded Medicaid, and secured protections for millions of people living with pre-existing conditions. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) built on the strong foundation of the ACA by lowering premiums for middle and working-class families by an average of $2,400 a year. Thanks to the ACA, more than 21 million Americans have gained coverage through Medicaid expansion, and Medicaid has become a pillar of the American health care system, demonstrating the overwhelming need and desire for affordable health coverage. 

Thanks to the ACA, health plans are also required to cover preventive care services without cost-sharing. Access to preventive care has improved health outcomes and reduced economic inequity. The ACA has helped reduce longstanding disparities in coverage rates, improving health care access for children, rural Americans, people with disabilities, and people of color across the nation.

Speakers will also highlight ongoing attacks on health care, and celebrate the historic investments to secure the future of Nevadans and American health care. Thanks to their vision and determination, Nevadans can now sleep easier at night knowing Congresswoman Titus, Congresswoman Lee, and Nevada’s Democrats in Congress are hard at work to expand health coverage and lower health care and prescription drug costs. 

WHO: Congresswoman Dina Titus, Congresswoman Susie Lee, Nevada Health Link Chief Operations Officer Janel Davis, and health care advocates

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference

WHEN: Monday, March 20 at 10:00 AM PT // 1:00 PM EST

WHERE: Register to join the Zoom event (Registration required)

Washington, DC – Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed framework to guide the negotiation of drug prices under Medicare – a key part of the Inflation Reduction Act. CMS announced it will consider the drug’s clinical benefits to patients including whether the drug meets an unmet need and the selected drug’s impact on specific populations, recognize and encourage innovation, look at drugs with common active ingredients, and develop a process for engaging drug manufacturers in a multi-step price negotiation.

Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“The administration has created a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to the Medicare drug negotiation process that will reduce costs for America’s seniors, encourage innovation, and treat drug companies fairly. The Biden administration’s approach to Medicare negotiations will give seniors much-needed breathing room to afford their medicines and other essentials like rent, groceries, and gas, and continue to encourage the development of innovative medications that save lives and keep Americans healthy.”