Issue Position: Health Care Reform

Issue Position

"I believe that access to affordable, quality, stable health care is the key to a productive work force, small business innovation, and the economic security and health of our families and nation. By passing comprehensive health insurance legislation, we substantially reformed the health insurance industry, extended quality coverage to millions of Americans, and took action to hold down national, public, and private health care costs. While the reforms can and should be improved to achieve greater cost reductions, the bill was an important step forward in expanding access to care." -- Congressman Adam Schiff

Congressman Schiff believes that affordable, quality and stable access to care is the key to ensuring a productive work force in which individuals and small businesses can innovate, thrive and spur economic activity. With our health insurance system intrinsically linked to the economic recovery of both California and the nation as a whole, Congressman Schiff believes we must do more to reduce health care costs.

The Affordable Care Act will provide stable coverage that cannot be taken away, won't be lost when you change jobs, and will provide bolstered and additional insurance choices in an invigorated and competitive system of market-based exchanges. In our district alone, the bill will provide tax credits and financial assistance to more than 135,000 families and 15,000 small businesses to help them afford coverage, and extend coverage to 80,000 uninsured residents. It will also stabilize and improve coverage for the 368,000 residents who already have insurance. Additionally, it will strengthen Medicare and close the "donut hole" for 94,000 recipients, and prevent Medicare from becoming insolvent in 2017.

The bill responds to the challenges facing our nation in a fiscally responsible manner, reducing the deficit by more than $1.3 trillion in the next two decades, and ensuring the economic security of our children.

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