May 6, 2021, WASHINGTON, D.C. – 32 organizations representing millions of people with pre-existing conditions urge Congress and the Administration to prioritize health care policies in the next legislative package.
“As organizations representing patients with serious and chronic conditions, we applaud the Administration’s efforts to expand access to affordable health coverage. Today, it is simply impossible for most people to afford health care without health insurance. Though the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) helped bring affordable health care to millions, more must be done. Quality and affordable health care remains out of reach for millions.
Consumers continue to grapple with the health and economic uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients face an urgent need for bold reforms to our health care system that will serve their needs not just for the duration of the pandemic – but for generations to come.
The Biden Administration and Congress must seize this unique moment and protect patients with pre-existing conditions in the next legislative package addressing health care. Our groups greatly appreciate the inclusion of advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) in the American Families Plan and continue to urge the Administration and Congress to take bold action on behalf of patients, including:
- Permanently codifying increased eligibility and generosity of APTCs;
- Limiting patients’ out-of-pocket health care costs;
- Addressing obstacles to affordable employer-sponsored coverage, including fixing the family glitch; and
- Strengthening Medicaid coverage, including expanding continuous eligibility.
These off-the-shelf policies have been thoroughly evaluated and are ready to go. It is time for policymakers to make the promise of affordable health care a reality.
Our organizations, and the patients we represent, are counting on Congress and the Administration to deliver on each of these much-needed policy reforms. We stand ready to work with policymakers and be allies in this much-needed work.
Alpha-1 Foundation
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American Diabetes Association
American Heart Association
American Kidney Fund
American Liver Foundation
American Lung Association
Arthritis Foundation
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Cancer Support Community
CancerCare
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Epilepsy Foundation
Family Voices
Hemophilia Federation of America
Mended Hearts & Mended Little Hearts
Muscular Dystrophy Association
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
National Health Council
National Hemophilia Foundation
National Kidney Foundation
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Organization for Rare Disorders
National Patient Advocate Foundation
Primary Immune Foundation
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Susan G. Komen
The AIDS Institute
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
United Way Worldwide
WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
