Washington, D.C., March 26, 2019 — Major legislation introduced today in the House of Representatives would amend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to improve access and affordability of health care. The bill, the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions and Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019, was introduced by Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-6), Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA-1) and Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA-3).

Yesterday, the Administration dramatically reversed its position on the Texas vs. U.S. case, now supporting the U.S. district court’s ruling to strike down the entire ACA. Previously, the administration argued that certain protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be struck down, but the rest of the law should stand.

If the district court ruling is ultimately upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, as the Administration wants, it would eliminate major protections for people with pre-existing conditions, abolish Medicaid expansion, repeal the rule that allows people to stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26, remove caps on maximum out of pocket limits, and bring back annual and lifetime limits on coverage.

The patient and consumer organizations supporting this legislative package oppose the new Administration position and urge legislative actions to strengthen the ACA.

Twenty-six national patient, consumer and health advocacy groups issued the following statement in response to the bill introduced today in the House:

“Our organizations, which collectively represent millions of patients and consumers, wholeheartedly support this important legislation to strengthen and expand health care for all Americans.

“The ACA made great strides in improving health care in our nation by breaking down the barriers to coverage faced by people with chronic disease, disability, and other serious health conditions. Repeated attempts to weaken the ACA have resurrected some of those barriers and put the stability of the ACA insurance markets at risk. We adamantly oppose the position of the Administration on the Texas v. U.S. ruling and urge legislative action, like this bill, to strengthen the provisions within the ACA that limit out of pocket costs and assert patient protections.

“This bill would take concrete steps to reduce costs for consumers; ensure quality coverage; support enrollment and outreach, including expansion of the Health Care Navigator program; and eliminate short-term, limited-duration plans, which discriminate against individuals with pre-existing conditions.

“The ACA represented major progress toward ensuring all people with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health care. This bill improves upon the law’s foundation to make that goal a reality.”

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Adult Congenital Heart Association

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

American Heart Association

American Liver Foundation

American Lung Association

Arthritis Foundation

COPD Foundation

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Epilepsy Foundation

Family Voices

Global Healthy Living Foundation

Hemophilia Federation of America

Immune Deficiency Foundation

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

March of Dimes

National Alliance on Mental Illness

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

National Health Council

National Hemophilia Foundation

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

National Organization for Rare Disorders

National Patient Advocate Foundation

National Psoriasis Foundation

Susan G. Komen

WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

For media inquiries please contact:

Steve Weiss – 202-785-7905; steve.weiss@heart.org
Suniti Sarah Bal -- 202-787-9292; suniti.bal@heart.org

For public inquiries please contact:
800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and strokeassociation.org