We’re not letting up on our progress to improve access, affordability

When Democrats took control of the House after the 2018 midterm elections, we heard voters loud and clear that expanding access to healthcare was a primary reason they delivered us the majority. Though we had no idea of what was on the horizon with COVID-19, we charged ahead to improve the lives of all Americans—expanding health coverage, enhancing and securing Medicare, and lowering drug prices. 

Now, more than a year and a half into the most devastating public health emergency in recent memory, securing and expanding access to healthcare is more important than ever. Protecting America’s health will strengthen our recovery from this pandemic, get Americans back to work faster, provide economic security, and better prepare us for the next emergency.

A major down payment on this effort was the affordability measures the Ways and Means Committee included in the American Rescue Plan. We need to build on that now, making those reduced premiums permanent. We should address the Medicaid coverage gap—stepping in where Republican politicians have failed for a decade to act. And we can bolster Medicare’s benefit package to include coverage of missing benefits such as vision, dental and hearing care. We cannot build back better unless we holistically address the long-standing health inequities that undergird our systems. 

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it should be that we are nothing without our health, and now is the time to build on the Affordable Care Act and strengthen our nation’s healthcare system. As research concerning the initial months of the pandemic found, each 10% increase in the proportion of a county’s residents who lacked health insurance was associated with a 70% increase in COVID-19 cases and a 48% increase in COVID-19 deaths. Nationally, roughly 1 out of every 3 COVID-19 deaths are linked to health insurance gaps. More than 40% of all COVID-19 infections are associated with health insurance gaps.

During the pandemic, millions of Americans lost their jobs through no fault of their own and found themselves confronting challenging health and economic realities. Fortunately, they were able to turn to affordable, high-quality health coverage options thanks to the ARP and the special enrollment period established by President Joe Biden. Over 2.5 million Americans have signed up for coverage since he took office earlier this year. The Ways and Means Committee also gave these unemployed workers COBRA subsidies—and for those who didn’t have employer coverage, a new ACA benefit for the unemployed—to help them stay covered in this time of need. When Americans lose their jobs, they should not have to worry about whether or not they can continue to afford healthcare. 

We must build on what we enacted in the ARP and finish the job to make those provisions permanent, dramatically expanding access to affordable coverage for families. Since April 2021, over a million Americans have selected a plan that costs them $10 or less per month thanks to premium reductions. 

We must also acknowledge that the elderly and people living with disabilities have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, underscoring the need for more investment in services that provide them with support and care. Earlier this year, I reintroduced the Elder Justice Reauthorization and Modernization Act to update the law and put an end to the rampant mistreatment, neglect and exploitation that is all too common for vulnerable Americans. 

But Americans across the care spectrum require support. Recognizing that millions of Americans find their home in a nursing facility, I introduced the Nursing Home Improvement and Accountability Act to improve quality and safety in these facilities that experienced devastation during the COVID crisis.

Our nation’s recovery from this pandemic will be trying, and many of COVID-19’s consequences will remain with us for years to come, but we have the tools to transform our healthcare system into one that the American people deserve—one that is rooted in access and affordability.