Congressman Neal Issues Statement on 12th Anniversary of Affordable Care Act

SPRINGFIELD — Today, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, marked the 12th anniversary of President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law with the following statement:

“The Affordable Care Act has dramatically improved the American healthcare system while shoring up the economic and health security of so many in need over the last 12 years. I cannot fathom what the last two years would’ve looked like without the ACA, providing peace of mind for the 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions and the over 20 million Americans who otherwise would have had no coverage. Thanks to the ACA, lives were saved, and people felt some security in a time of terrible crisis.

“In last year’s American Rescue Plan, Democrats led the first major expansion of ACA subsidies, making coverage even more affordable for those in need. We will build on this success by continuing to lower out-of-pocket costs, addressing the coverage gap, and more permanently protecting vulnerable workers and Americans in transition. Beyond the ACA, in this Congress, we’ve put an end to surprise medical bills and led efforts to lower prescription-drug costs. The committee is also currently working to improve the quality of care for our nation’s seniors, and on legislation that would address our nation’s mental-health and substance-abuse crises.

“Democrats will never stop fighting to strengthen and build on this life-changing law, and the Ways and Means Committee will continue leading the charge to make high-quality, affordable healthcare a reality for every single American.”