Marking the one-year anniversary of President Obama signing health reform into law, Senator Coons called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act “a major step in expanding access to affordable health care for all Americans.” Chris also noted health reform’s economic benefits, adding, “It’s important to remember that the Affordable Care Act is estimated to create as many as 400,000 jobs a year.”
Delawareans have already seen tangible benefits from the Affordable Care Act. Insurance companies are no longer allowed to drop or deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, and there is a new state insurance program for adults who have been dropped or denied coverage for this reason, which will cover them until provisions of the Affordable Care Act that protecting adults with pre-existing conditions take effect in 2014. Chris previously highlighted this program during a visit to the Henrietta Johnson Medical Center in Wilmington.
The Affordable Care Act has already enabled young people under the age of 26 to be covered under their parents’ plans, and the health insurance “exchanges” it establishes promise to lower costs and enable more Americans to purchase affordable coverage. More provisions will kick in over the next few years, with full-implementation expected in 2014.
While Chris believes the Affordable Care Act to have been a landmark piece of beneficial legislation, he recognizes that there are some areas where we can improve upon the bill. One of these is the 1099 reporting provision, which would impose burdensome reporting requirements on small businesses. Chris proudly voted in the Senate to repeal this provision on February 2.
If you are interested in more information about the how the Affordable Care Act helps you, click here or here to learn more.