Issue Position: Healthcare

Issue Position

In March of 2010, the Health Care and Reconciliation Act was signed into law by President Obama. As our country struggled with a broken health care system, a system that had skyrocketing costs and diminishing service, we as a people said "enough."

This reform is a uniquely American solution that is patient-centered and gives Americans the freedom to continue to choose their own doctor and their own plan. If you like your doctor you will be able to keep your doctor; if you like your health plan you will be able to keep your health plan. The plan will provide health care coverage to over 50 million Americans are currently uninsured or underinsured. The law, whose implementation began in September 2010 and will end in 2018, has already provided the following improvements:

Insurance companies will once again be able to drop coverage for people when they get sick -- exactly when coverage is needed most;

Children with pre-existing conditions will be denied coverage;

Insurance companies would again be able to impose devastating annual and lifetime caps;

Young people will not be able to stay on their parents' plans until age 26;

Pregnant women and cancer survivors could once again be denied coverage simply because they are pregnant or because they are a cancer survivor. These two conditions would be considered "pre-existing conditions" and therefore, grounds for denial of coverage;

Seniors will face an increase in their prescription drug costs because they would be thrown back into the Medicare Part D Donut Hole, which the healthcare reform law would have closed by 2020.

These are just a few of the many positive aspects of our health care reform law. This is a law that I am proud to have supported and worked hard to pass. As we proceed into the future know that I will work to protect these provisions, and work towards strengthening our health care system, making sure all Americans have access to health care.
Here are some of the benefits New Yorkers in the 11th Congressional District will see from this reform*:

Improves coverage for 367,000 residents with health insurance;

Gives tax credits and other assistance to up to 160,000 families and 11,400 small businesses to help them afford coverage;

Improves Medicare for 68,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole;

Extends coverage to 53,500 uninsured residents;

Guarantees that 11,900 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage;

Protects 500 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs; and

Allows 61,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents' insurance plans.

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