HHS Releases "The Price of Repealing the Affordable Care Act"

After Republicans scheduled a vote for January 12 on repealing the health reform law, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a Fact Sheet titled, “The Price of Repealing the Affordable Care Act.”   The document outlines the arguments proponents of the legislation plan to use against those who want to repeal it. HHS focuses on those provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that have shown to be popular in public polling. Items such as eliminating lifetime insurance spending limits, extending the age young people can stay on their parents insurance to 26, forcing insurance companies  to cover mammograms and flu shots, and assisting those with preexisting conditions are just a few of the benefits that would be lost if a repeal passes according to HHS.

The release of this fact sheet was followed up by a letter to Speaker John Boehner from Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner. (Click here to read the letter)  In the letter the three say, "If the Affordable Care Act were repealed as some have proposed, the individuals we have heard from plus the millions of families, seniors, other individuals, and small businesses already helped would lose this support and these protections."

ASA staff continues monitoring potential legislative changes to PPACA, as well as actively lobbying on key provisions through the regulatory process.