Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act: Improving Accessibility and Affordability

Michigan Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick voiced her strong support for the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, stating that it will improve the accessibility and affordability of health care for millions of Americans. With over 44 million Americans lacking health care insurance, this bill aims to address the needs of these individuals by expanding coverage to 32 million more people, or more than 95% of Americans, while lowering health care costs over the long term. The bill prevents insurance companies from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions, health status, and gender, and creates health insurance exchanges-competitive marketplaces where individuals and small businesses can buy affordable health care coverage.

Key Takeaways:

• The bill aims to expand health care coverage to 32 million more people, or more than 95% of Americans.
• It prevents insurance companies from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions, health status, and gender.
• It creates health insurance exchanges-competitive marketplaces where individuals and small businesses can buy affordable health care coverage.
• The bill offers premium tax credits and cost-sharing to low and middle-income Americans, providing families and small businesses with the largest tax cut for health care in history.
• It empowers the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and state insurance commissioners to conduct annual reviews of new plans demanding unjustified, egregious premium increases.
• The bill includes provisions that strengthen Medicare by adding at least nine years to the solvency of the Medicare Hospital Insurance Fund, filling the Medicare prescription drug donut hole, and reducing overpayments to private Medicare Advantage plans.
• It provides new, free annual wellness visits, eliminates out-of-pocket copayments for preventive benefits under Medicare, and provides better chronic care for older Americans.

Statistics:

• Over 44 million Americans lack health care insurance.
• The bill aims to expand coverage to 32 million more people, or more than 95% of Americans.
• The bill prevents insurance companies from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions, health status, and gender.
• The bill creates health insurance exchanges-competitive marketplaces where individuals and small businesses can buy affordable health care coverage.
• The bill invests in Community Health Centers to expand access to health care in communities where it is needed most.
• The bill reduces the deficit by $148 billion over the next decade, with an additional $1.2 trillion in additional deficit reduction in the following decade.

Sources:

• Release from the office of Michigan Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
• House Resolution 4872, Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act
• Department of Health and Human Services
• Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)