Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted once again to repeal the Affordable Care Act with a 244-185 vote. Despite the Supreme Court affirming the law, House leaders proceeded in scheduling yet another vote to end it – the 33rd such attempt.
Meanwhile, more data has been released showing the Affordable Care Act continues to help millions of Americans who rely on Medicare. So far this year, more than 16 million people with Medicare have received free preventive services and screenings thanks to the ACA.[1] These services are helping to keep people healthy and giving them information to make the best choices for their care. Further, repealing the law would harm women with Medicare who have benefitted from mammograms and Pap smears without cost-sharing. Should ACA be repealed, these women would go back to facing out-of-pocket costs on these important services.
Repealing the law means losing important improvements for people with Medicare and their families, who face losing critical consumer protections and access to care. It’s time for policymakers to move on. The Center for Medicare Advocacy joins others in urging them to implement ACA and address the real issue: rising overall health care costs.
[1] Health and Human Services, Press Release, available at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/07/20120710a.html.