Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a temporary, one year extension of health care plans in the individual market. Although this bill isn't perfect, I believe it is important that Congress works together to give Michigan residents certainty and stability in their healthcare choices while the Administration works out the problems in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

I want to emphasize my support for health care reform. I voted for this important law in 2010, and have voted 40 times against efforts to repeal and dismantle health care reform. However, many of my constituents have called my office confused by the cancellation letters sent by insurers. Compounding this confusion is the ongoing technology glitches that are keeping people from signing up on the exchanges and learning about new options for health insurance.

At a time when too many Michigan families are still struggling economically, it is important that we keep our promises that the law would allow you to keep your insurance and doctor if you want to.

The President announced his plan to grandfather in health care plans that have been recently canceled, but I believe that Congress must also vote to support that decision legislatively. I believe that this temporary, one year extension of health care plans is necessary while people can get the information they need to make the right choices for their family on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

I support the President's requirement to have insurers disclose better information about these grandfathered plans and new plans that might be available. That is why I also joined in sending a letter to Secretary Sebelius stating that we must require insurers to explain to policyholders what benefits they would be losing under the grandfathered plans, and the tax credits and subsidies they could be eligible for in the new insurance marketplace. We must ensure that insurance companies provide a clear explanation when any future changes to plans are not a requirement of the Affordable Care Act.

As I have always said, I am willing to work in order to make improvements to ACA as they are needed. Clearly a fix is needed to ensure that people can keep their insurance if they like it. It is important that we work together to give certainty on this issue, and Congress should pass a bipartisan bill to achieve this goal.

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