Sen. Franken Calls Bipartisan Agreement to Fix Affordable Care Act "Very Promising;" Says Minnesota Poised to Benefit from Deal

Press Release

Sen. Al Franken has called a new agreement to fix several pressing issues in the Affordable Care Act "very promising" and said that, during negotiations in the Senate Health Committee, he worked hard to ensure that that deal benefits Minnesotans whose coverage has been threatened by the Trump Administration.

All year, Sen. Franken has called for Congress to work together to fix problems in our nation's health care system. Unfortunately, while he's pushed to get things done the right way, the Trump Administration has taken several steps to undermine health care in Minnesota and across the country--slashing funding for MinnesotaCare, the state's basic health plan, by hundreds of millions of dollars and ending federal "cost-sharing" payments for millions of Americans' insurance plans. As the White House invites a serious and imminent national health care crisis that will put the health of working families at risk, Sen. Franken said the need is at an all-time high to pass bipartisan legislation to bring down insurance costs and protect families' coverage.

"I believe that when Congress works in bipartisan way to address real issues, we can do a lot to improve the lives of families in Minnesota and across the country," said Sen. Franken, a member of the Senate Health Committee. "That's why, when it comes to health care, I've fought to pass bills to expand coverage, lower costs, and improve care. But unfortunately, in an attempt to implode our nation's health care market, the White House blindsided states like Minnesota with policy decisions that will jeopardize coverage for people and send insurance costs through the roof. Now more than ever, we need a bipartisan effort to avert the crisis that's being manufactured by the Trump Administration. That's why, as this deal was negotiated, I fought to reverse massive financial cuts that the Trump Administration levied on MinnesotaCare, a program that helps working families in our state. It appears that this deal, which I believe is very promising, restores that funding, and I'm hopeful we will be able to come together in Congress and pass legislation to fix the ACA and help Minnesota families."

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