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IN THE STATES: Protect Our Care Marks American Rescue Plan One-Year Anniversary With Nationwide Events

By March 14, 2022No Comments

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), and State and Local Advocates Headlined Events Across the Country

Last week, Protect Our Care hosted events across the country to mark the American Rescue Plan’s one-year anniversary and celebrate its historic provisions that made coverage more affordable than ever before. The law lowered the costs of premiums for Americans purchasing coverage under the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, extended the eligibility for premium tax credits, and provided robust incentives for hold-out states to finally expand Medicaid and close the Medicaid coverage gap. As a result, a record number of Americans signed up for coverage, putting more money in families’ pockets and giving millions of people peace of mind knowing they can afford the health care they need.

Protect Our Care held events with Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), state and local officials, and health care storytellers to discuss the impact the American Rescue Plan has had on American families and highlight recent efforts to pass legislation to make American Rescue Plan health care provisions permanent.

NATIONAL

On Thursday, March 10, Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined health care advocates and Protect Our Care to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan, which made health care premiums more affordable than ever. Watch the full event here.

“While Senate Republicans propose destructive plans like ripping away health care from millions of Americans, I am standing on the side of working families to expand access to quality, affordable health care, and lower the cost of prescription drugs, like insulin,” said Senator Baldwin. “The American Rescue Plan, which lowered premiums and increased health care access for Georgians, was the first of many solutions that I’ve fought for in the Senate. In the past year, I’ve introduced legislation to cap the price of insulin at $35 a month and lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. I’ve also fought to close the Medicaid coverage gap, and provide free and affordable coverage to over 640,000 Georgians,” said Senator Warnock. 

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On Friday, March 11, Protect Our Care hosted a Lite-Brite display outside of the White House commemorating the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan. The event came after Protect Our Care released a new report outlining the impact of the American Rescue Plan’s critical economic and health provisions. Over the past year, the law helped create more than 6 million jobs and led to record enrollment in affordable health coverage. Today, over 215 million Americans are fully vaccinated, with more getting vaccinated and boosted every day, leading to safer workplaces and communities.

FLORIDA

On Thursday, March 10, Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) joined Protect Our Care Florida and For Our Future to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. Watch the full event here.

“The American Rescue Plan was monumental in supporting our families, lowering health care costs, and helping as a bridge out of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Kathy Castor. “One of the most impactful measures of the ARP were the tax credits that lowered health insurance premiums for thousands of families. It is vitally important that we continue those credits, and also to finally expand Medicaid in our state.” 

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

On Friday, March 11, Lisa Beaudoin, Executive Director of ABLE NH, Heather Stockwell, Statewide Campaigns Organizer for Rights & Democracy, Nancy Glynn, Advocate with Moms Rising, and Nik Coates, Town Administrator from Bristol, joined Protect Our Care New Hampshire to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by discussing the impact of the law and calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. Watch the full event here.

“What is little known and underappreciated about the American Rescue Plan is that it provided the states with a bunch of Medicaid matching funds for home and community-based services, which provides community-based care and support for the disability community and senior citizens. This infusion of $44 million that is going to be spent over the next three years is going to help with some significant workforce issues,” said Lisa Beaudoin, Executive Director of ABLE NH.

NEW JERSEY

On Thursday, March 10, New Jersey Assemblyman John McKeon and Laura Waddell, Health Care Program Director, New Jersey Citizen Action joined Protect Our Care New Jersey to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. Watch the full event here.

“The American Rescue Plan is helping make high-quality health care more affordable and accessible to all New Jerseyans,” said Assemblyman John McKeon. “The law’s enhanced premium tax credits allowed more than 3 million Americans to find a plan for $10 or less per month. While we’re doing everything we can at the state level, Congress must now make the enhanced premium tax credits in the American Rescue Plan permanent for the millions of Americans who were able to access and afford coverage.” 

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  • Insider NJ: Assemblyman John McKeon, Health Care Advocates Urge Passage of Health Care Reforms to Build on Success of American Rescue Plan

NEVADA

On Friday, March 11, Dr. Christina Madison and Jarrett Clark joined Protect Our Care Nevada to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. You can watch the event here.

“I was diagnosed with a genetic blood condition when I was 22 years old,” Jarrett Clark said. “I will have to take medication for the rest of my life to manage this disorder, which costs more than $800 per month without health insurance. Because of the Affordable Care Act, I know I can never be denied health care coverage because of a preexisting condition, which gives me peace of mind. Because of the American Rescue Plan, I was able to afford COBRA coverage when I was laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic like so many other Nevadans. These pieces of legislation were essential to making health care more affordable for people like me.”

OHIO

On Friday, March 11, Columbus City Councilmembers Liz Brown and Tristan Rader and Ohio leaders joined Protect Our Care to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by discussing the impact of the law and calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. Watch the full event here. 

“The pandemic brought to light the deep flaws in our social safety net, and this time last year—one year after the initial shutdown—we were still in the darkest parts of the pandemic. American Rescue Plan funds supercharged our efforts to provide relief to residents, sustain small businesses and the childcare sector, and to respond to the health crisis itself,” said Columbus City Councilmember Elizabeth Brown. “We’ve made significant investments to sustain our childcare sector because access to childcare and high-quality early learning programs is vital for the development and wellness of young children. Our kids and their families have also been aided by the ARP’s measures to expand access and affordability to healthcare, including mental health, and now is the time to reinforce those supports. From child care to health care, there is more work to be done.”

PENNSYLVANIA

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WEST VIRGINIA

On Friday, March 11, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams and West Virginia health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Ohio to mark the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan by discussing the impact of the law and calling on Congress to pass legislation to make many of the law’s health care provisions permanent. Watch the full event here.

“What was fascinating and absolutely game changing is the way the rescue plan is going directly to cities. We’ve been working so hard over the last 10 years to create a transformative economy that doesn’t just have an effect on Huntington but has an effect on the entire region. And having that effect on the entire region actually impacts what’s occurring in Appalachia. What we found as a result of the rescue plan money, is this is truly manna from heaven,” said Huntington Mayor Steve Williams. 

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