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Reps. Pascrell & Pallone, Hospital Representatives Denounce GOP Assault on America's Healthcare

January 9, 2017
PATERSON, N.J. – Today, U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09) a member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health and Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, met with hospital representatives at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson, NJ to highlight the impact a Republican repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have on hospitals in New Jersey, as well as New Jerseyans who are benfiting from the health care law. In December, Pascrell wrote a letter to Gov. Christie and called on him to relay to House Republican Leadership the disastrous impact ACA repeal will have on New Jersey. Pallone has been a leader in speaking out against GOP efforts to repeal the ACA this month in Washington, and played a key role in authoring and passing the ACA in 2010. Pascrell and Pallone were joined by Elizabeth Ryan, President and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association, Kevin Slavin, President and CEO of St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center and Dr. Michael Lamacchia, Chairman of Pediatrics at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center."Our hospitals have been on the front lines of the implementation of the ACA and they will be on the front lines if it's repealed," said Rep. Pascrell. "That is why I sent a letter to Governor Christie last month calling on him to outline our state's concerns to House Republican Leadership in their request for feedback from governors on ACA repeal. The deadline for feedback was last Friday, so I expect the Governor will make public the letter which I can only assume strongly defends the interests of our state and our people.""The ACA has expanded and protected coverage for millions of Americans," said Pallone. "More than 20 million previously uninsured Americans have newfound health security, including 95 percent of America's children. If Republicans proceed with repealing the ACA, they will rip health care away from millions of people and raise premiums for millions of others, while adding more stress to local hospitals. Repealing the ACA would turn care into chaos, and would make America sick again."Last month, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and the current and incoming chairmen of the House Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce sent a letter to governors and state insurance commissioners seeking their feedback on various changes to the ACA and the health insurance system as a whole. One of the prominent Republican health care reform ideas that will have the most significant impact on states is repealing the Medicaid expansion.Governor Chris Christie has expanded New Jersey's Medicaid program under the ACA, but that infusion of federal Medicaid dollars and coverage for the New Jerseyans who enrolled would be in serious jeopardy if Republicans go through with their plan to repeal it.Background:Repealing the ACA would reverse historic gains in coverage and access to care and endanger the health and welfare of hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families in New Jersey.Here is what is at risk: 665,000 individuals in the state who have gained coverage since the ACA was implemented could lose their coverage if the ACA is entirely or partially repealed. • 249,395 individuals in the state who purchased high quality Marketplace coverage now stand to lose their coverage if the Republican Congress dismantles the exchanges. • 205,242 individuals in the state who received financial assistance to purchase Marketplace coverage in 2016, averaging $322 per individual, are at risk of having coverage become unaffordable if the Republican Congress eliminates the premium tax credits. • 532,900 individuals in the state who enrolled in Medicaid under the ACA's Medicaid expansion now stand to lose coverage if the Republican Congress eliminates the Medicaid expansion. • 136,000 kids who have gained coverage since the ACA was implemented are also at risk of having their coverage rolled back. • 59,000 young adults in the state who were able to stay on a parent's health insurance plan thanks to the ACA now stand to lose coverage if the Republican Congress eliminates the requirement that insurers allow children to stay on their parents' plans until age 26.• 129,277 individuals in the state who received cost-sharing reductions to lower out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles, co-pays, and coinsurance are now at risk of having healthcare become unaffordable if the Republican Congress eliminates cost-sharing reductions. • 4,210,183 individuals in the state who now have private health insurance that covers preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles stand to lose this access if the Republican Congress eliminates ACA provisions requiring health insurers to cover important preventive services without cost-sharing. • Roughly 1,234,000 individuals in the state who have pre-existing health conditions are at risk of having their coverage rescinded, being denied coverage, or being charged significantly more for coverage if the Republican Congress eliminates the ACA's ban on pre-existing conditions.• The state is at risk of losing $3.58 billion in federal Medicaid dollars if the Republican Congress eliminates the Medicaid expansion. • 211,881 seniors who have saved an average of $1,241 each as a result of closing the Medicare prescription drug "donut hole" gap in coverage stand to lose this critical help going forward. • 940,537 seniors who have received free preventive care services thanks to ACA provisions requiring coverage of annual wellness visits and eliminating cost-sharing for many recommended preventive services covered by Medicare Part B, such as cancer screenings, are at risk of losing access to these services if congressional Republicans go forward with their plan to repeal the ACA.###