There’s good news and some ominous news about the ongoing effort to keep health insurance coverage affordable for Americans, especially in states like Wisconsin that feature ongoing opposition by Republicans.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off week three of Medicaid Awareness Month, which focuses on efforts to protect Medicaid against relentless threats by Republican lawmakers. Medicaid provides high-quality care to 79 million Americans, but too many families remain locked out of Medicaid or are facing coverage loss because of partisan attacks on the program. Week three will also examine the consequences of ending the COVID-19 public health emergency, which could result in millions of people losing Medicaid coverage if states fail to act.
“Republicans just can’t quit their war on affordable health care,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Between failing to expand Medicaid and running on ACA repeal, GOP lawmakers are threatening coverage for millions of families across the country. They shamefully want to raise health care costs on working people and threaten access to vital care for children, older adults, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups.”
Protect Our Care will continue to release fact sheets and host nationwide events with elected officials, storytellers, and health care advocates to highlight Medicaid’s critical role in America, discuss what needs to be done to expand and strengthen the program, and raise awareness of the consequences of Republican threats.
Medicaid Awareness Month 2022 themed weeks:
- Week 1: Medicaid is Working! Week one focused on how Medicaid has improved the lives of millions even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Week 2: Close the Coverage Gap. Week two is bringing attention to the urgent need to close the Medicaid coverage gap.
- Week 3: Protect Medicaid Coverage. Week three will focus on how millions of Americans face losing their Medicaid coverage coverage when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends and how Republican officials across the country are waging a relentless war on Medicaid.
- Week 4: Medicaid & Health Equity. The final week will highlight how Medicaid is our most powerful tool in fighting for health equity.
Republicans across the country are waging a relentless war on Medicaid, blocking expansion in state houses and running for Congress with an agenda to repeal the Affordable Care Act, dismantle expansion and throw millions of Americans off their care. Nearly 79 million Americans receive their care through Medicaid and are vulnerable to these GOP attacks. The Republican war on Medicaid is a war on children, seniors, people with disabilities, rural Americans, those fighting the opioid crisis, our schools, and everyone else who benefits from Medicaid.
***MEDIA ADVISORY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 14 AT 12PM ET ***
While Public Health Emergency Order Remains, Ohio Should Ensure Medicaid Eligibility Is Accurately Determined and Vulnerable Ohioans Are Protected
Columbus, OH — During Medicaid Awareness Month on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 12:00 PM ET, Pennsylvania State Senators Tina Maharath and Thomas West will join Protect Our Care Ohio to discuss the importance of protecting and strengthening the program, which provides Ohioans with access to quality, affordable health care, strengthens local economies, and improves health outcomes across the state. The event will also address the State of Ohio’s concerning approach to determining Medicaid eligibility when the emergency order ends. Yesterday, the federal COVID-19 public health emergency order was extended for 90 days, preventing thousands of vulnerable Ohioans from falling off of Medicaid.
Medicaid has served as a lifeline during the pandemic, but as the federal COVID-19 public health emergency eventually ends, Medicaid coverage will be cut for those determined ineligible by the state. While experts and President Biden Administration’s are urging states to take a year to fully determine post-emergency order eligibility, the State of Ohio plans to make all determinations in 2-3 months, using an outside vendor that will automate eligibility redeterminations.
VIRTUAL EVENT:
WHO:
State Sen. Tina Maharath
State Rep. Thomas West
Daniel van Hoogstraten, Protect Our Care Ohio
WHAT: Virtual Press Conference
WHERE: Register for the Event Here
WHEN: Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 12:00 PM ET
Campaign Will Launch in 8 Key Districts Around the Country and Include Broadcast, Cable and Digital Platforms
Washington, DC — As Members of Congress return to their districts over recess, Protect Our Care is launching a multi-million dollar ad campaign in support of health care champions who’ve been working to bring down health care costs for American families. Polling shows that health care consistently ranks as a top concern for Americans, particularly when they are concerned about higher prices. People across political parties overwhelmingly support reforms to bring down health care costs. With an initial investment of $5 million, the campaign will tell the story of key members who delivered a ban on surprise medical bills and have fought for reforms to lower health care costs, including capping the cost of insulin and giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices.
The first ads in the series will begin running on Wednesday, April 13. The seven-figure ad campaign will blend multiple modes of communication — broadcast and cable television, streaming services, YouTube and other digital platforms. The campaign will focus in the following districts: Reps. Cindy Axne (IA-03), Angie Craig (MN-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Susie Lee (NV-03), Elissa Slotkin (MI-08), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), and Susan Wild (PA-07).
“These lawmakers are working to bring down costs for working families and give people a little more room to breathe. Health care costs are a top priority for Americans, especially at a time of mounting concerns over rising prices,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Americans want Congress to get things done and these lawmakers are working to lower premium costs, reduce drug prices, expand coverage, and improve health care for families across the nation. They are delivering results, working across the aisle when they can, and their constituents want them to keep up the fight.”
Just last month, the House of Representatives passed the Affordable Insulin Now Act, which caps insulin costs at $35. The new ad campaign comes as President Biden and Democrats are continuing their work to lower drug prices, further reduce premiums, and expand affordable coverage to working families.
Sample Ad Script for IA-03:
Too many families worry about the cost of health care and prescription drugs.
So Congresswoman Cindy Axne did something about it.
Passing a bipartisan bill banning surprise medical bills.
Now, Congresswoman Axne is working to lower costs even more -by giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, and capping the cost of insulin.
Congresswoman Cindy Axne.
Working to lower health care costs for people like you.
Links to each of the ads can be found below:
Reps. Cindy Axne (IA-03)
Angie Craig (MN-02)
Sharice Davids (KS-03)
Andy Kim (NJ-03)
Susie Lee (NV-03)
Elissa Slotkin (MI-08)
Abigail Spanberger (VA-07)
Susan Wild (PA-07)
Washington, DC — Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made a final decision to limit coverage of Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm. Last year, Biogen set the price of Aduhelm at $56,000 despite mixed clinical trial results and limited benefits for patients. If Medicare were to broadly cover the drug, it would raise premium costs for millions of seniors. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“Despite intense lobbying by Big Pharma and their front groups, CMS made the right decision to limit Adhelm coverage. Big drug companies should not be cashing in at the expense of millions of seniors struggling to afford their everyday health costs. In addition to being unproven and potentially dangerous for patients, Adhulem is exorbitantly expensive and remains an example of why we need to pass prescription drug reform immediately.”
More Than 3 Million People Could Lose Health Coverage and Millions More Will Pay Higher Premiums If Congress Fails to Act, Including a Disproportionate Number of Young Adults, Low-Income Americans, Black Americans and Residents of Southern States
Washington, DC — Today, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute published a report showing that more than three million people would lose their coverage if Congress fails to make the American Rescue Plan’s enhanced premium tax credits permanent. The study also shows that millions of people currently eligible for the enhanced premium tax credits could pay between $1,000 to $2,000 more a year for their health insurance without Congressional action. The American Rescue Plan made insurance more affordable than ever before, driving down premium costs for families and leading to record ACA enrollment. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“Congress must extend the American Rescue Plan’s premium tax credits. President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working tirelessly to keep premiums low and further reduce the cost of health care, and now we need every member of Congress to get on board and extend these tax credits. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, enrollment in high-quality coverage is at an all-time high and families have more breathing room to pay for essentials like food and rent at a time when families are concerned about rising prices. This new study underscores that the consequences of letting these tax credits expire would be devastating for millions of people.”
Axios: Affordable Care Act Subsidy Cliff Hits Southern States Hardest
Caitlin Owens // April 8, 2022
A disproportionate share of young adults, low-income, Black Americans and residents of Southern states will lose health coverage if Congress doesn’t extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, according to a new analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Why it matters: The analysis estimates that 3.1 million Americans would become uninsured when the subsidies expire beginning next year, and millions more would face much higher premiums than they currently pay. But those effects wouldn’t be felt evenly across the country.
The big picture: Democrats’ coronavirus relief package last year made ACA subsidies more generous and expanded who was eligible for them, but only temporarily.
- Millions more people have entered the ACA marketplaces as a result. But Democrats’ efforts to extend the subsidies have stalled in the Senate, along with the rest of President Biden’s domestic agenda.
Details: The uninsured population would increase most significantly among people with incomes of 138-400% of federal poverty absent congressional action, according to the analysis.
- When looking at race and ethnicity, Black Americans would see the largest change, followed by white Americans. Young adults ages 19-34 would be the most affected age group.
- States that haven’t expanded Medicaid, like Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, would see some of the highest increases in their uninsured populations.
Yes, but: Extending the larger subsidies would cost the federal government more than $25 billion in 2023 alone, and $305 billion over 10 years.
Between the lines: Being uninsured obviously has implications for people who then struggle to pay for health care when they need it.
- But it also creates financial problems for hospitals, which are required to treat patients having emergencies regardless of their ability to pay.
What we’re watching: Insurers calculate premiums months before open enrollment begins in November.
- That means that if the tax credits aren’t extended in the first half of this year, insurers may not have time to adjust their premiums accordingly — meaning premiums would likely be inflated, the authors of the analysis argue.
- That, in turn, could discourage marketplace enrollment and increase federal costs.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Protect Our Care is kicking off week two of Medicaid Awareness Month. Medicaid provides high-quality care to 79 million Americans, but too many families remain locked out of this essential coverage because Republican officials in 12 states refuse to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. In total, more than two million Americans are stuck in the “coverage gap,” but Congress now has the opportunity to close this gap and extend affordable health care to millions.
“For years, Republicans have waged a partisan war on health care, and perhaps the most devastating outcome has been the refusal to expand Medicaid,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Millions of people have been left uninsured in states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia — all because Republicans are putting politics over people’s health and well-being. Working people, rural Americans, older adults, and people with disabilities are depending on Congress to fix this broken system and close the coverage gap now.”
Protect Our Care will continue to release fact sheets and host nationwide events with elected officials, storytellers, and health care advocates to highlight Medicaid’s critical role in America, discuss what needs to be done to expand and strengthen the program, and raise awareness of the consequences of Republican threats.
Medicaid Awareness Month 2022 themed weeks:
- Week 1: Medicaid is Working! Week one focused on how Medicaid has improved the lives of millions even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Week 2: Close the Coverage Gap. Week two is bringing attention to the urgent need to close the Medicaid coverage gap.
- Week 3: Stop the Threat. Week three will focus on how millions of Americans face losing their Medicaid coverage coverage when the COVID-19 public health emergency for the Covid-19 pandemic ends because Republican officials are failing to protect eligible Medicaid recipients.
- Week 4: Medicaid & Health Equity. The final week will highlight how Medicaid is our most powerful tool in fighting for health equity.
FACT SHEET: Closing The Medicaid Coverage Gap Helps Millions Of Americans
Closing the Medicaid coverage gap will provide millions of Americans living in non-expansion states access to quality, affordable health coverage. Closing the Medicaid coverage gap will reduce racial inequities in health care, strengthen families, and save lives.
2.2 Million Americans Currently Denied Medicaid Will Gain Health Coverage. There are more than two million Americans currently trapped in the Medicaid coverage gap to access zero dollar premium health coverage. Of those currently in the coverage gap, 62 percent are in the labor force, 30 percent are parents with children at home, more than 25 percent are essential workers, and 15 percent of adults have a disability.
Drastically Reducing Racial Health Disparities. Closing the Medicaid coverage gap is the single most important policy to expand coverage and reduce racial inequities in the American health care system. People of color are more likely to have a lower median income and live in a state without Medicaid expansion, compared with their white counterparts. In 2019, 60 percent of individuals in the coverage gap were people of color.
Advocates and Storytellers Watched President Biden Announce Measures to Strengthen the ACA and Lower Costs for Millions of Americans
Yesterday, health care storytellers and advocates from across the country visited the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and President Biden’s ongoing efforts to improve the health care law and cut costs for families. During the event, former President Obama noted that, in the fight to pass the ACA, he and President Biden were determined to deliver because “we met too many people on the campaign trail who’d shared their stories.” The tireless work of storytellers helped usher the ACA into law, protected it from GOP repeal and sabotage, and is now driving the fight to build on the ACA today.
The event comes as President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working to build on the ACA by driving down prescription drug prices, lowering premiums, and further expanding access to affordable care. More information on President Biden’s health care achievements can be found here.
COVERAGE:
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Obamacare advocate Chrysa Ostenso of Ladysmith witnesses White House ceremony celebrating Affordable Care Act
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh public health advocates attend White House ceremony on Affordable Care Act
MEET THE STORYTELLERS:
DonnaMarie Woodson (Charlotte, NC): DonnaMarie has a pre-existing condition and credits the ACA for saving her life. If she hadn’t been insured through the ACA, she says she probably would not have had screening tests that led to her diagnoses with colon cancer and breast cancer in 2015.
Himali Patel (Atlanta, GA). Himali is an Atlanta small business owner who relies on the ACA for health insurance. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, she saw her monthly premium drop from $400 per month to $30 per month.
Teresa Acosta (Dunwoody, GA). Teresa is a single mom to a Type 1 diabetic son. She lost her job at Juvenile Diabetes Foundation because of COVID-19 but was able to get health insurance through the ACA. Thanks in part to the American Rescue Plan’s enhanced premium subsidies, she started a small business in the middle of the pandemic.
Chrysa Ostenso (Ladysmith, WI). Chrysa and her husband own an optometry clinic in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. As small business owners, they purchase family coverage through the ACA Marketplace. After President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law, Chrysa’s family saw their monthly premiums go from almost $2000 to under $300.
Amy Raslevich (Pittsburgh, PA). Amy is a breast cancer survivor and mother of two children with pre-existing conditions whose family relies on the ACA’s critical protections.
Steve Gomez (Phoenix, AZ). Steve is the father of an immunocompromised son with pre-existing conditions. Steve’s son, Anthony, was born with a serious heart defect but is protected under the ACA.
“ACA is a BFD” Appeared Outside the White House After President Biden Announced New Actions to Strengthen the Law
This evening, Protect Our Care hosted a Lite-Brite display outside of the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act and highlight the ongoing efforts to lower health care costs, improve care, and increase coverage for American families. The lite-brite display comes after former President Obama joined President Biden and Vice President Harris to announce new measures to strengthen the ACA, including a proposed fix to the “family glitch,” which will lower health care costs for more than one million Americans. President Biden is also directing his administration to improve access to health care providers, protect people from low-quality coverage and continue lowering health care costs.
President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working to build on the ACA by driving down prescription drug prices, lowering premiums, and further expanding access to affordable care. More information on President Biden’s health care achievements can be found here.
Background:
HEADLINES: President Biden Announces New Measures to Strengthen the ACA and Lower Costs for Families
President Obama Joined President Biden at White House Event to Celebrate Success of the ACA
This afternoon, former President Obama joined President Biden and Vice President Harris at the White House to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ongoing efforts to improve the health care law and cut costs for families. During the event, President Biden announced new measures to strengthen the ACA, including a proposed fix to the “family glitch,” which will lower health care costs for more than one million Americans. Coverage makes clear that the Biden administration’s efforts to build on the ACA have worked — with record enrollment and lower premium costs than ever before. Now, President Biden is continuing to use every tool at his disposal to provide American families with quality, affordable coverage.
Washington Post: ‘I Had To Show Up,’ Obama Says As He Joins Biden To Celebrate The ACA. “Today, former president Barack Obama was back at the White House, reliving the bruising battle to pass the Affordable Care Act and celebrating that it’s ‘pretty darn popular’ 12 years later…Biden signed an executive order to further expand access by addressing a ‘glitch’ in Obama’s signature health-care law and vowed to continue to ‘build on’ the ACA in the years ahead.” [Washington Post, 4/5/22]
Wall Street Journal: Biden Proposes Change To Affordable Care Act To Extend Subsidies For Families. “About five million people are affected by the so-called family glitch, and under the proposed change they will have more options for insurance coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Additionally, an estimated 200,000 uninsured people are expected to gain coverage under the proposed change by the Treasury Department and nearly 1 million people will get more affordable coverage, U.S. officials said. The proposed rule, if it is approved by federal regulators, would go into effect Jan. 1, 2023.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/5/22]
Time: President Biden Moves To Fix A ‘Glitch’ In The Affordable Care Act. “‘It’s a huge deal,’ says Katie Keith, director of the Health Policy and the Law Initiative at Georgetown Law’s O’Neill Institute. ‘It’s one of the biggest things the Biden Administration can do on its own to expand coverage.’ About 5.1 million people across the country fall into the family glitch…Most of these are women and children. Not all of these people would choose to switch their plans immediately, but the White House estimates that 1 million people would move to cheaper ACA health plans if the rule takes effect, and 200,000 uninsured Americans would gain comprehensive coverage.” [Time, 4/5/22]
AP: Biden, Obama Mark 12 Years Of The Affordable Care Act At The White House. “Biden opened up the health insurance markets to anyone seeking coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his coronavirus relief bill provided a significant, though temporary, increase in financial assistance. The result was a record 14.5 million people signing up for subsidized private coverage. People tripped up by the “family glitch” are dependents of workers who have an offer of employer coverage that the government interprets as being affordable.” [AP, 4/5/22]
Reuters: Obama And Biden Reunite At White House To Tout Obamacare, New Provision. “The White House said the proposed adjustment to the Affordable Care Act, put forward in a rule by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service that must be finalized, would save hundreds of dollars a month for hundreds of thousands of families. It said the ‘family glitch’ affects some five million people and ‘has made it impossible for many families to use the premium tax credit to purchase an affordable, high-quality Marketplace plan.’” [Reuters, 4/5/22]
USA Today: With Obama’s Help, Biden Announces Proposed Fix To ACA’s ‘Family Glitch’. “The change, which would go into effect as early as next year, could allow an estimated 200,000 people without insurance to gain coverage, according to the White House…The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that 5.1 million people are affected by how the IRS initially wrote the regulation when interpreting the ACA. Most have insurance through an employer but are paying high premiums.” [USA Today, 4/5/22]
CBS: Obama Returns To White House For Health Care Event With Biden. “A new rule proposed by the Treasury Department would enable family members who must pay more than 10% of their income for health care coverage to get financial help. ‘As a result, 200,000 uninsured people are expected to gain coverage and nearly a million more are expected to see lower premiums every day,’ a senior administration official told reporters on a background call.” [CBS, 4/5/22]
NBC: Biden, Joined By Obama, Proposes Tax Credit Fix To Affordable Care Act. “‘Starting next year, working families in America will get the help they need to afford full family coverage, everyone in the family,’ Biden said at a White House event promoting the law and announcing the change. ‘As a result, families will be saving hundreds of dollars a month.’” The Treasury Department proposal would allow families to receive tax credits if their coverage costs exceed more than 10 percent of their incomes, a senior administration official told reporters. The change, scheduled to take effect in January, would allow 200,000 uninsured people to gain coverage and lower premiums for a million others, the official said. [NBC, 4/5/22]
Yahoo News: Obama Returns To White House For Celebration Of Affordable Care Act As Biden Announces Changes To Law. “Biden announced changes to the plan in an attempt to expand it to more Americans. One tweak that can be authorized by the Treasury Department is fixing a ‘family glitch’ that would mean lower premiums for some Americans, while others would become eligible for subsidized insurance plans.” [Yahoo News, 4/5/22]