Letter to Kathleen Sebulius, Secretary Department of Health and Human Services - Lost Coverage Due to Obamacare

Letter

Dear Secretary Sebelius,

I am writing to seek clarification on how the Administration is reacting to the concerns of millions who are losing their current coverage because of the Affordable Care Act or have faced obstacles to enrolling on the healthcare.gov website.

Since the bill was debated and signed, Americans were given a clear and unequivocal message. On June 15, 2009, the President said to the American Medical Association, "We will keep this promise to the American people. If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away, no matter what." In an April 6, 2010 speech at the National Press Club, just after the bill became law, you said, "So here are the facts: if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan."

None of this turned out to be true. Each day brings news of more Americans losing the coverage they had and liked. CBS News has reported more than 2 million have so far had their coverage canceled. Constituents are contacting me with their own stories of increased costs and lost coverage. Many have received cancellation letters from their health insurers. These individuals and families believed the Administration's refrain that individuals who liked their health care plan would be able to keep it, and they planned accordingly. Those who purchased health care coverage in the individual market prior to ACA implementation did so without the threat of a mandate. They were surprised to learn that they will be asked to trade it in for more expensive coverage they do not want or need. This is to say nothing of the millions who have been stymied by the often non-functioning healthcare.gov website.

I am deeply concerned that as coverage is dropped in response to the ACA's new requirements, individuals and families in the 7th District will lose access to quality care. To this end, I respectfully submit the following questions:

At the time the above promises were made, did the Administration understand that millions would lose coverage they had and liked under the ACA? If not, when did it come to know this?

Will steps be taken to protect the availability of low-cost coverage for those who are exempt from the individual mandate due to the cost of plans relative to their income?

Are individuals whose coverage was cancelled still subject to the individual mandate penalty, even if they have been unable to use the healthcare.gov website or otherwise find comparable coverage in the individual market?

I appreciate your consideration and look forward to your timely reply.

Sincerely,

Patrick Meehan

Member of Congress

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