The GOP will seek “massive reform” to the Affordable Care Act
This month, we have spent a lot of time campaigning, talking about next week's election, and emphasizing the urgency around taking back the House. House Speaker Mike Johnson's comments this week are a prime example of why Democrats need control of the House.
This week, during a GOP campaign event, Speaker Johnson indicated that if Republicans gain control of the presidency in 2024, they will pursue "massive reform" to the ACA as part of a "very aggressive" first 100-day agenda.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been a lifeline for Washingtonians, improving health outcomes, offering financial security, and enabling equitable access to health care across diverse communities in the state.
Make no mistake: the Chaos Caucus still wants to undermine critical health care programs and unwind health insurance regulations and safeguards despite the overwhelming support for the program.
ACA enrollment has hit a historic level, with 21.3 million people opting for ACA marketplace coverage during the Open Enrollment Period. This statistic includes more than five million people — about a fourth — who are new to the ACA Marketplace and 16 million people who renewed their existing ACA coverage.
With enrollment reaching a record high and millions of American families relying on the ACA for coverage, it simply does not make sense that the Chaos Caucus' agenda is to repeal this landmark legislation.
Rolling back the ACA would not just rip away critical care from the 21.3 million folks using Marketplace plans — but 45 million Americans could lose their health insurance provided through other provisions of the ACA. Think young adults afforded the option to stay on their parents' plans until age 26, people suffering from pre-existing conditions that could legally be denied care, and more.
We cannot let this happen to the millions of people relying on the ACA. We must take back the House next week.
The far-right's eagerness to roll back health care in America — to a time of runaway corporate profits, coverage denials, and politicians inserting their extreme ideology between you and your health care provider — is not new. Extremists voted upwards of 50 times to repeal the ACA. Time and again, my Republican colleagues in the House propose a budget that would destroy this life-saving legislation.
We will not let that stand.
I believe health care is a right. As always, we are going to fight back for Washingtonians and the millions of Americans who benefit from the provisions of the ACA.
That is why I voted to reduce premiums for ACA members and am actively working to expand access to high-quality, affordable health care that fits Northwest Washington families' budgets.
That is why I am continuing to work to lower the costs of prescription drugs. I voted to reduce prescription drug costs by letting Medicare negotiate drug prices, by imposing a tax penalty if drug companies increase their prices faster than inflation, and by capping the price of insulin at $35 per month.
Millions of Americans are counting on us. This is the type of policy-making that has a tangible impact on Northwest Washington, and we must protect the ACA in Congress.
Your support now means I can continue this important work in 2025.
Together, we can make this happen.
Rick
