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Statement of ACAP on the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2019
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Van Ness, (202) 204-7515, jvanness@communityplans.net
STATEMENT OF ACAP CEO MARGARET A. MURRAY ON THE STRENGTHENING HEALTH CARE AND LOWERING PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS ACT
WASHINGTON—Margaret A. Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, made the following statement on H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, which includes provisions offering more stability to the individual health insurance market.
The market-stabilizing provisions include a rollback of the regulations allowing for short-term, limited-duration health plans to be offered for more than three months; restoration of funds for consumer outreach with respect to Health Insurance Marketplaces; and funding for states to set up their own Marketplaces:
“This bill will protect consumers from junk insurance and help restore stability to the individual health insurance market. Rolling back the short-term limited-duration regulations will help shore up protections around pre-existing conditions and will help improve the affordability of comprehensive health coverage by stabilizing the risk pool. Supporting consumer outreach and state establishment of Marketplaces will provide needed resources to assure that people who are looking for individual coverage are making informed decisions.
“We applaud today’s actions of the House and call upon the Senate to take up this legislation and send it to the President for his signature.”
About ACAP:
ACAP represents 66 health plans which collectively provide health coverage to more than 20 million people in 29 states. Safety Net Health Plans serve their members through Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Marketplace and other publicly-sponsored health programs. For more information, visit www.communityplans.net.