FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2022
Contact: Julia Hamelburg (julia.hamelburg@wisdems.org)
Biden, Obama Announce New Measures to Save Wisconsinites Money on Health Care
Democrats’ Initiative To Lower Costs Comes As Republicans Push an Agenda That Would Hike Premiums and Rip Away Health Care Coverage
MADISON, Wis. – Today, President Biden and former President Obama announced new measures to build on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and close the “family glitch” – which blocks millions of people who receive health care from a family member’s work from qualifying for financial assistance on the Marketplace. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, this glitch impacts over 5 million Americans across the country and affected nearly 113,000 Wisconsinites in 2019, preventing them from accessing affordable health insurance.
This new initiative will expand coverage to 200,000 uninsured people while lowering costs for an additional one million Americans. This announcement comes at a time when – thanks to President Biden’s open enrollment period and the American Rescue Plan lowering costs for Americans – ACA enrollment is at an all-time high and the rate of uninsured Americans is historically low.
While Democrats make good on their pledge to make health care more affordable for Wisconsin families, Republicans are continuing to run on an agenda that would hike premiums and gut protections for those living with pre-existing conditions. Just last month, Senator Ron Johnson reaffirmed his commitment to repealing the Affordable Care Act – continuing his longtime efforts to rip away health care from Wisconsinites, which he has stated is a “privilege,” – not a right.
“Today’s announcement is further proof that Democrats won’t stop working until every single Wisconsinite has access to affordable health insurance,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler. “It is abhorrent that the Republican Party continues their devastating mission of repealing the Affordable Care Act and ripping coverage away from those who rely on it. When it comes to Wisconsinites’ health care, Democrats are taking decisive action to bring down costs and expand coverage solutions, while Republican politicians keep siding with big corporations and the pharmaceutical industry over the families they’re supposed to represent.”
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