Republicans remain determined to put insurance companies back in charge of health care
Washington, DC – Here is a statement from Ethan Rome, executive director of Health Care for America Now, on President Obama’s remarks today about the Affordable Care Act:
“The Obama administration set a deadline to fix the Affordable Care Act web site and then met it. HealthCare.gov is working well and helping millions of Americans gain health coverage. This law is already providing benefits to more than 100 million Americans, and many more will join them on Jan. 1, 2014. The President declared that he would never allow the law to be repealed as long as he is in the White House. The law is here to stay despite the Republicans’ relentless effort to take away people’s health care.
“Within a few years, 25 million people who are currently uninsured will have coverage thanks to Medicaid expansion and the ACA marketplaces, which will provide most consumers generous instant tax credits that will hold down or even eliminate monthly premiums for private health plans. While Americans want to keep and improve the health care law, Republican leaders continue their cold-blooded campaign to deny families and small businesses access to quality, affordable health care. The ACA is raising the quality of care, slowing skyrocketing health costs, saving seniors money on prescription drugs, providing preventive care without co-pays, and eliminating the worst insurance company abuses. The GOP should stop trying to take away Americans’ health security and work with Democrats to make the law work even better.
“For five years the battle over this law has highlighted the profound division in American politics. On one side are Democrats fighting for seniors and for working- and middle-class families. On the other side are Republicans representing big corporations and special interests instead of their constituents. That’s why they are doing everything they can to put giant insurance companies back in charge of our health care. Republicans who hate the idea of more Americans being able to see doctors outside of emergency rooms are on the wrong side of history.”
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Health Care for America Now, the nation’s leading grassroots health care coalition, works to promote and defend the Affordable Care Act, protect Medicare and Medicaid, and advocate for fair taxes to support public services.