The largely symbolic bill was intended to be introduced in March to mark the tenth anniversary of the passage of the ACA, but was sidelined as the coronavirus pandemic took hold.
House Democrats have unveiled a new bill to improve upon key elements of the Affordable Care Act, including Medicare expansion and premium subsidies. The provisions of the proposal center around protecting people with pre-existing conditions and lowering health care costs, as well as expanding and strengthening state Medicaid programs.
H.R. 1425 would increase premium subsidies and allow more individuals to be covered without premiums, as well as reduce the percentage of income paid by some. In addition, the plan would undo the Trump administration's expansion of short-term health insurance plans, and establish network-adequacy standards for ACA exchange plans. It would also fix the "family glitch" created by the original ACA that limited eligibility for ACA enrollment for those also able to be on a family member's employer-sponsored plan.
"The legislation is a true game-changer. It would dramatically lower healthcare costs and enlarge the circle of health insurance for millions of families," Stan Dorn, director of the National Center for Coverage Innovation at Families USA, said in a statement.
Under the proposal, more incentives would be added to expand Medicaid, as well. As for paying for the changes, Democrats point to savings created by a drug-price negotiation plan included in a drug price reform bill proposed last year.
The largely symbolic bill was intended to be introduced in March to mark the tenth anniversary of the passage of the ACA, but was sidelined as the coronavirus pandemic took hold. The unveiling this week coincides with the filing deadline for the Department of Justice's opening brief in the lawsuit challenging the ACA's constitutionality.
House Republicans are not expected to support the proposal. Still, it will give fodder to Democrats–especially new members who were not part of the landmark passage–in the upcoming election season as they refocus their message on health care reform.
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Emily Payne
Emily Payne is director, content analytics for ALM's Business & Finance Markets and former managing editor for BenefitsPRO. A Wisconsin native, she has spent the past decade writing and editing for various athletic and fitness publications. She holds an English degree and Business certificate from the University of Wisconsin.
