sign up for periodic newsletters.
On March 23, 2010, Congress approved and President Obama signed into law historic health care reform legislation: the Affordable Care Act. The law lowers costs, strengthens care, and – once fully implemented – will guarantee all Americans access to quality, affordable coverage while creating nearly 6 million new jobs in the health care sector.
Under the law, no one can be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. More than 15 million Americans now have heatlh insurance, while more than 3 million young people have obtained insurance through their parents’ plans. Hundreds of thousands of small businesses have used tax credits provided under the law to offer coverage for 2 million workers. And the law is saving seniors hundreds of dollars in prescription drug costs while offering free preventive services such as cancer screenings and routine vaccinations.
In Kentucky, more than 413,000 Kentuckians are now receiving health coverage through Kynect, the state-based health insurance marketplace created as a result of the law. And more than 1,600 businesses in the Commonwealth have begun the process of obtaining insurance for their employees under the law.
For details of the Affordable Care Act and how it affects you, please see below.
I believe health care is a human right. Since I came to Congress in 2007, I have cosponsored H.R. 676, the United States National Health Care Act, also known as Medicare For All. This legislation establishes a universal health insurance program that is publicly financed and privately delivered, expanding and improving Medicare to make it available to all U.S. residents and guaranteeing that every American has access to health care.
According to Physicians for a National Health Program, under a single-payer system, 95 percent of all U.S. households would save money on their health care costs. Employers currently providing health insurance pay an average of 74 percent of their employees’ premiums; under Medicare For All, which establishes a 4.75 percent payroll tax (including the current Medicare tax), they would save an average of roughly three-quarters of their premium dollar.
Medicare For All is a fully inclusive, commonsense, and cost-effective way to provide health care to all while saving families and businesses money. In the coming years, I believe the American people – and particularly the business community – will demand its adoption.