Pallone Celebrates 5 Years of the Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and one of the principal authors of the Affordable Care Act, released the following statement to mark the five year anniversary of the historic health care reform law:

“Five years ago, we ushered in a new era, one in which health care coverage was no longer a privilege, but a right for all Americans. Five years ago today, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law, and millions of Americans who had gone without health insurance—seniors who had struggled due to inadequate coverage, and women, children and young adults that had been denied coverage due to preexisting conditions—gained the security that comes from being covered.

“After five years of the Affordable Care Act, more than 16 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage, including 602,000 New Jerseyans. Additionally, 3,847,727 non-elderly New Jerseyans, including 485,006 children throughout the state, can no longer be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions, 383,964 New Jerseyans have gained Medicaid or CHIP coverage, and the cost of care has risen at a slower rate than we've seen in nearly 50 years.

“Despite the consumer protections and real savings for Americans, Republicans are still determined to dismantle the Affordable Care Act at every turn. House Republicans have voted 56 times to repeal or undermine the ACA and take these critical benefits away from millions of Americans, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling. And, while it factors in savings accrued through the law, the latest Republican budget attempts to repeal the ACA, while also ending the Medicare guarantee, passing on costs to seniors. Enough is enough.

“I will continue to fight for the Affordable Care Act to ensure that every American has access to affordable, quality health insurance, and I look forward to the ACA continuing to benefit millions of Americans in the years ahead.”