Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach Stands With Congressional Democratic Leadership During A Bicameral Celebration of the 14th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
To celebrate the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) 14th anniversary, Protect Our Care hosted events with elected officials and health care advocates across the country, placed op-eds, and hosted a digital day of action. All of the activities highlighted the contrast between Democrats protecting and expanding the ACA and Republicans threatening to repeal the law and rip coverage away from millions. President Biden has made building on the ACA to lower health care costs and expand coverage a top priority, and now a record number of Americans enrolled in quality, affordable coverage. Additionally, Americans continue to depend on the cost savings and protections of the law, including protections for millions of people with pre-existing conditions, savings for over 45 million with premium tax credits and coverage through Medicaid expansion, and free cancer screenings and preventive care for over 150 million patients. Read Protect Our Care’s ACA anniversary fact sheet here.
Highlights and Coverage From Protect Our Care’s Events:
NATIONAL
Monday, March 18 – MSNBC Op-Ed on Protecting the ACA by Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach: Protect Our Care placed an opinion piece in MSNBC by Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. In the piece, Dach discusses the threats to the ACA and the importance of protecting it. Dach writes, “Some have been quick to dismiss Trump’s recent comments as an empty threat. This is a mistake. During his time in office, Trump successfully undermined the law, leading to a drop in enrollment, and weakened protections for people with pre-existing conditions. He was just one vote short of total ACA repeal in 2017, and now, the Republican Party has only grown more extreme and motivated to fall in line with Trump.” You can read the full text here.
Thursday, March 21 – House and Senate Democratic Leadership Press Conference: House and Senate Democratic Leadership held a press conference to commemorate 14 years since the Affordable Care Act was passed by Congress. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said, “Protect Our Care helped us save [the ACA] from the destruction that was wrought by the Republicans after they took control of Congress.” Watch the full event here.
Wednesday, March 20 – Digital Day of Action: Protect Our Care hosted a digital day of action featuring videos of real people benefiting from the ACA and Congresspeople who support the law. Former President Obama shared some of the videos on his X account.
Storyteller Videos:
Senator Tammy Baldwin
Representative Deborah Ross
Teresa Acosta
Ali Farrell
Martin Fitzgerald
Steve Gomez
Linda Hamacher
Steven Martin
Gigi Milinchak
Amy Raslevich
Eric Schneidewind
Martha & Travis Smith Thereault
Jean Westcott
DonnaMarie Woodson
Friday, March 22 – Statements from Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach and Executive Director Brad Woodhouse: Ahead of the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach and Executive Director Brad Woodhouse released statements highlighting the importance of the ACA and how it is under attack. Dach says, “The ACA has been essential to reducing inequities in health care and has laid a strong foundation to do more to ensure everyone — no matter who they are or where they live — has access to the health care they need.” Woodhouse says, “While President Biden and Democrats in Congress are working tirelessly to build on the ACA and expand affordable, quality health care to every American, the MAGA-Republicans are still fighting in Congress and in the courts to gut the ACA and undermine the law’s protections.” You can read the statements in full here.
Fact Sheets
- 14 Years Later, The Affordable Care Act Is Woven Into the Fabric of America
- The Affordable Care Act Has Lowered Costs and Expanded Women’s Access to Care
- The Affordable Care Act Has Improved Health Care for Seniors
- The Affordable Care Act Has Lowered Costs and Improved Health Care for Children and Young People
- The Affordable Care Act Has Lowered Costs and Protected Patients With Pre-Existing Conditions From Being Denied Coverage
- The Affordable Care Act Has Expanded Access to Care for People of Color
- The Affordable Care Act Has Expanded Affordable Coverage to Tens of Millions of Americans
- 14 Things To Know 14 Years Into The Affordable Care Act
IN THE STATES
Arizona
Tuesday, March 26 – ACA Anniversary Event with Arizona State Senator Lela Alston, Honest Arizona: Arizona State Senator Lela Alston, and Honest Arizona will join Protect Our Care Arizona to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Arizonans since it’s passage.
California
Monday, March 25 – ACA Anniversary Event with Reps. Tony Cárdenas Ted Lieu, Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan: Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care California to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Californians since it’s passage.
Georgia
Thursday, March 21 – Biden For President ACA Anniversary Event with Senator Doug Jones and Protect Our Care ACA Storyteller Himali Patel: Ahead of the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, former Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and health care advocates highlighted Trump’s years-long mission to gut the ACA, ending protections for thousands of Georgians with pre-existing conditions and raising costs for thousands more. Speakers laid out the stakes for Georgians’ health care this November as Trump tries to gut this critical program.
Michigan
Wednesday, March 20 – ACA Anniversary Event with State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet and Advocates: Michigan Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Michigan to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Michiganders since its passage. “The Affordable Care Act has been game-changing for my constituents and all Michiganders since it became law 14 years ago,” said Michigan Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet. “Despite the ACA’s overwhelming benefits for Michiganders wanting health care coverage, many Republicans remain fixated on dismantling it. Just as I’m fighting to make prescription drugs more affordable so families don’t have to go without life-saving medicine, I’ll do everything possible to keep ACA protections in place so we have lower health care costs and better care services.” 
- Michigan Advance: Democrats hail ACA ahead of anniversary, blast GOP efforts to repeal it
- The ‘Gander TikTok: The Affordable Care Act allows kids to stay on their parent’s health insurance plans until age 26.
- Michigan Information & Research Service Inc.: Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) and health care advocates joined Protect Our Care Michigan to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight “how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Michiganders since its passage.”
Nevada
Saturday, March 23 – ACA Anniversary Event with Rep. Dina Titus, For Our Future: Representative Dina Titus (D-NV-01) and For Our Future joined Protect Our Care Nevada to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Nevadans since it’s passage.
- KSNV (NBC): Local leaders mark the 14th anniversary of the ACA
- CW Las Vegas: Nevada leaders celebrating the passage of the ACA
New York
Wednesday, March 27 – ACA Anniversary Event with Rep. Jerry Nadler, Dr. Dara Kass, Local Advocates: Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12), former HHS Regional Director Dr. Dara Kass, and NYS Chapter President of the Alliance for Retired Americans Bill Spreter will join Protect Our Care NY to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for New Yorkers since it’s passage.
Wednesday, March 20 – ACA Anniversary/Young Invincibles’ ACA Report Event with Josh Riley and Cornell College Democrats: Cornell University College Democrats and lawyer and community advocate Josh Riley joined Protect Our Care NY to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for New Yorkers since it’s passage. “For the past 14 years, the Affordable Care Act has provided Americans the affordable, quality healthcare they deserve. On this momentous anniversary, it’s more important now than ever to strengthen and expand health care protections for Americans. We will not let House Republicans, who are working every day to undermine the ACA, succeed.” said Josh Riley, attorney and community advocate.
Saturday, March 16 – Buffalo News Op-Ed on Protecting the ACA by State Senator Tim Kennedy: Protect Our Care New York placed an opinion piece in the Buffalo News by State Senator Tim Kennedy. Kennedy writes “In Western New York, the Affordable Care Act is more than just a piece of legislation or a talking point. It’s a promise to our neighbors that no one will go bankrupt because they are sick, a promise that no one will be discriminated against or overcharged based on pre-existing conditions, and a promise that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care. This is a promise I’m committed to keeping.” You can read the full text here.
North Carolina
Monday, March 18 – ACA Anniversary Event with Congresswoman Deborah Ross, State Senator Rachel Hunt, and advocates: Congresswoman Deborah Ross, State Senator Rachel Hunt, and NCHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley joined Protect Our Care North Carolina to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy the own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for North Carolinians since it’s passage. “Fourteen years later we can see and celebrate the tangible progress we’ve made and the lives we’ve saved thanks to the ACA,” said Congresswoman Ross.
Pennsylvania
Thursday, March 21 – Biden For President ACA Anniversary Event with Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis: Protect Our Care Pennsylvania provided two speakers for a Biden for President ACA Anniversary event in Pittsburgh, PA, including Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and Health Care Advocate Amy Raselvich. Speakers celebrated the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlighted how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Pennsylvanians since its passage.
- WPXI: Austin Davis and health care advocates discuss the ACA’s 14th anniversary
Wisconsin
Friday, March 22 – ACA Anniversary Event with Senator Baldwin and Attorney General Josh Kaul: Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Attorney General Josh Kaul joined Protect Our Care Wisconsin to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and highlight how the law has protected people with pre-existing conditions, lowered costs for people who buy their own coverage, and increased access to quality, affordable health care for Wisconsinites since it’s passage. “The Affordable Care Act has been a force for good for Wisconsin families – expanding health care coverage, cutting costs for families, protecting people with pre-existing conditions, and – a provision I was proud to author – allowing young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until they are 26,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin.
- WFRV (CBS): 14th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act
- WisPolitics: Protect Our Care: With U.S. Sen. Baldwin, AtG. Kaul to mark 14-year anniversary of the ACA