Rep. Wild Introduces ACA Fix, Legislation to Protect Family Access to Health Care and Lower Health Costs

WASHINGTON – Marking the 9th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law in 2010 this past weekend, U.S. Representative Susan Wild (PA-07) introduced H.R. 1870, the Family Health Care Affordability Act, a key component of the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019. Wild joined Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chairman Frank Pallone, Chairman Richard Neal, Chairman Bobby Scott, and Freshmen House Democrats for a press event this afternoon to unveil this legislative package and speak on the importance of the Family Health Care Affordability Act.

Wild's stand-alone bill is intended to fix the "Family Glitch" - a loophole that has prevented some workers from being able to expand their employer-provided health coverage to their families by disqualifying them for the subsidies they need to be able to afford coverage for their spouse and their children. This bill is a vital part of the larger ACA strengthening legislation, intended to protect people with pre-existing conditions, reverse the health care sabotage, and take new measures to lower health insurance premiums for families.

"Quality, affordable health care is the right of every child, woman, and man in our country, not a privilege for those fortunate enough to have it. To make this principle a reality, we need to build on the successes of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to ensure every American can get health coverage, protect people with pre-existing conditions, and lower the rising cost of health care," said Wild. "I'm proud that this effort includes my bill— the Family Health Care Affordability Act– a bill to fix the ACA's "family glitch" – which has prevented some workers from being able to expand their employer-provided insurance to their families. My bill is a small fix to a big problem for many working families. I'm proud to work to improve the lives of millions of Americans by building on the promise of the Affordable Care Act and strengthening our health care system."

As a whole, the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019 legislation strengthens protections for people with pre-existing conditions and reverses the Trump Administration's harmful actions to sabotage the ACA. The bill also reverses the Trump Administration's efforts to give states waivers to undermine pre-existing condition protections and stops the expansion of junk insurance plans that discriminate against consumers. Critical outreach and enrollment funding that has been gutted by the Trump Administration would also be restored through this legislation, and would provide funding for navigators to assist consumers in signing up for health care.

This legislative package would make health care more affordable by lowering health insurance premiums with strengthened and expanded affordability assistance. Specifically, the bill expands eligibility for premium tax credits beyond 400 percent of the federal poverty line and increases the size of tax credits for all income brackets. A national reinsurance program is also created by this legislative effort, intended to help cover the costs of consumers with expensive medical conditions, which lowers premiums for everyone, and offers funding to states to establish their own State-Based Marketplaces, which oftentimes have lower premiums.

A one-page summary is available HERE.

A section-by-section is available HERE.

Text of the bill is available HERE.

Text of Rep. Wild's bill is available HERE.

For video of the full press conference: https://www.facebook.com/NancyPelosi/videos/267898380814542/