Underwood's Statement on President Biden's Executive Order to Strengthen the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid
Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) released the following statement on President Biden's Executive Order on Strengthening Access to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid.
"Every person in this country deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care, but this was out of reach for too many American families until the Affordable Care Act was enacted.
"From day one in Congress, I've worked to protect the ACA and build on the law to lower health care costs, protect Americans with pre-existing conditions, and expand access to mental health care. My Health Care Affordability Act, included in the American Rescue Plan, has helped families save an average of $2,400 in premium costs per year for ACA plans and a record 14.5 million Americans enrolled in coverage for this year.
"Today's Executive Order strengthens the ACA by closing the "family glitch' loophole, a momentous decision to extend coverage to 200,000 uninsured people and save nearly one million families hundreds of dollars per month.
"It's a huge step forward that is only possible because of the work of this Administration."
The White House signing ceremony can be viewed here.
The Executive Order comes after a congressional letter that Underwood signed on to, urging President Biden to fix the "family glitch" and lower costs for about 5 million Americans, including many children.
Underwood's Health Care Affordability Act caps premium costs at 8.5 percent of household income, making more people eligible for tax credits, lowering out-of-pocket premium costs and making the tax credits more generous for people of all incomes.
Thanks to Underwood's legislation, included in the American Rescue Plan through the end of 2022:
14.5 million Americans signed up for affordable health care for 2022 during the open enrollment period, a record number of enrollments;
Families can save an average of $2,400 per year on premium costs; and
4 in 5 enrollees can find a plan for $10 or less per month.
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