Statement of ACAP on the Thirteenth Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 23, 2023
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Van Ness, (202) 204-7515


STATEMENT OF ACAP CEO MARGARET A. MURRAY ON THE THIRTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

WASHINGTON – Margaret A. Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), issued the following statement today to mark the thirteenth anniversary of the day the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by President Obama:

“Over the last 13 years, the Affordable Care Act has provided tens of millions of Americans with something they hadn’t had before – a source of reliable, affordable health coverage no matter their income.

“Despite multiple legal challenges and efforts to sabotage the law, the ACA has been remarkably resilient – more than 16 million people signed up this year for Marketplace coverage, more than ever before. It’s a sign that the ACA works, and works well.

“But there are still numerous, obvious improvements that remain. First, a few states have not yet expanded their Medicaid programs. It seems like North Carolina is about to do so, and that’s a boon for North Carolinians. Other states, however, remain holdouts.

“We also saw the one of the most dramatic improvements to health coverage in recent years pass just a few months ago – 12 month continuous eligibility in Medicaid and CHIP for children and new moms. While states have time to implement continuous eligibility for children, we urge them to do so as soon as practical.

“Finally, junk insurance plans continue to threaten the health and financial security of individuals and families by using deceptive marketing practices to make people believe they provide comprehensive coverage that they do not. The Biden administration can build on the promise and progress of the ACA by improving regulation of junk plans.

“The Affordable Care Act is America at our best: we saw pervasive uninsurance and underinsurance among our fellow citizens, despite all we spend on health care, and we said ‘we can do better.’ It’s a testament to our willingness to do better by our fellow Americans – and we stand ready to work with Congress and the Administration to continue to build on the ACA’s legacy.”

About ACAP
ACAP represents 79 nonprofit Safety Net Health Plans, which collectively serve more than 25 million people enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplaces, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and other public health programs. For more information, visit www.communityplans.net.

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