Murray Statement on One-Year Anniversary of Health Care Reform Being Signed into Law

Statement

Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement on tomorrow's anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law.

"One year ago, I stood with a little boy from Washington state named Marcelas Owens as we watched President Obama sign health care reform into law. More than 10,000 Washington state residents had sent me their health care stories--about their troubles accessing affordable care, paying for prescription drugs, or covering their employees. And thanks to this important law, our health care system is now working better for them and millions more in Washington state and across the country.

"Thanks to health care reform, seniors across our state are receiving checks to help them pay for their prescription drugs, kids can stay on their parents health care until the age of 26, children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage, and small business owners are getting tax credits to help cover their employees. And for the first time, insurance companies will now have to compete for the business of the American people.

"The first year of health care reform has moved us in the right direction, but the work is far from over. As new programs are put in place over the next few years to help Washington state families get the care they need at a cost they can afford, I am going to watch closely to make sure they continue working the way they were intended to. And I will work with anyone who wants to make additional improvements to the health care system to make it work better for our families, seniors, and small business owners."

Source