“But health reform is not only saving money – it’s saving lives.”

“In the richest nation in the world no insurance company will ever again put a price tag on a human life.”

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today regarding Saturday’s anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Three years ago, President Barack Obama signed into law the greatest single step in generations toward ensuring access to quality, affordable healthcare for every American – the Affordable Care Act.

Millions of Americans are already benefitting from Obamacare. Insurance companies can no longer set arbitrary lifetime caps on benefits, putting millions of Americans one car accident or heart attack away from bankruptcy. Today children can no longer be denied insurance because they are born with a disease or a disability, a protection that will soon extend to all Americans. And soon being a woman will no longer be considered a pre-existing condition.

In less than a year, 129 million Americans with preexisting conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes can rest assured they’ll have access to affordable insurance and life-saving care – regardless of their health or how much money they make.

In Nevada alone, tens of thousands of seniors have saved tens of millions of dollars on medicines because the Affordable Care Act closed the gap in prescription drug coverage.

But health reform is not only saving money – it’s saving lives.

Just ask 26-year-old Sarah Coffey, a native of Gardnerville, Nevada. Sarah was halfway through her first year of law school at the University of Connecticut when she was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s disease.

Sarah had done everything right. When she enrolled at UConn, she bought the best student insurance plan money could buy and paid for it a year in advance. But her cancer – and the difficult treatment to fight it – made returning to school last fall impossible.

Since Sarah was no longer a student, she no longer qualified for student health insurance. And her policy was about to expire. Without an expensive bone marrow transplant, she might die.

Before the Affordable Care Act became law, Sarah would have been one of the tens of millions of Americans who desperately needed life-saving care, but didn’t have insurance to pay for it. Before the Affordable Care Act, Sarah might even have become one of the 45,000 Americans who died each year because they lacked health insurance.

But thanks to Obamacare, Sarah was able to sign on to her parents’ insurance plan. Sarah is one of 3.1 million young people – including 33,000 young Nevadans – who have benefited from a provision in the law that allows children to stay on their parents’ health plans until they are 26 years old.

And I’m pleased to report that Sarah’s story has a happy ending. She got the treatment she needed. Her most recent PET scan was clear. And Sarah plans to return to law school in September.

Sarah’s mother, Sue, sent me a letter in January. She wrote that Obamacare and the dedicated doctors at Stanford Hospital saved her daughter’s life.

This is the legacy of the landmark law: that no American will end up in an emergency room because he has no insurance, that no American will live in fear of losing her insurance because she loses her job and that in the richest nation in the world no insurance company will ever again put a price tag on a human life.

Thomas Jefferson wrote that, “The care of human life and happiness… is the first and only object of good government.” I am gratified that the Affordable Care Act meets that standard. And I am proud that this law, which we worked so hard to pass, is already ensuring the care of human life remains the first object of this government.

GOP Plan Would Force Seniors to Pay $2.5 Billion More In Prescription Drugs Next Year Alone By Reopening Drug ‘Donut Hole’

New State-By-State Reports Showing Devastating Local Impact on Seniors Found Here

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Democratic Policy and Communications Center (DPCC) detailed the devastating effects of the new Republican budget in a series of state-by-state reports. The Republican budget introduced by Paul Ryan is anything but balanced. It would end Medicare as we know it, forcing seniors into a costly voucher system, while providing more tax breaks to millionaires. It would gut investments that strengthen the middle class, while protecting tax loopholes that benefit corporations that ship jobs overseas.

“The closer you look at the numbers, the worse the House Republicans’ budget gets for the nation’s seniors. The Republican budget that would end Medicare as we know it is anything but balanced. Rather than taking a balanced approach to deficit reduction, the Republican budget would kick millions of seniors into a voucher program, and force them to pay more for prescription drugs,” said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Center. “This reckless budget would gut programs that are essential to the middle class, while preserving tax breaks for the wealthy and huge corporations. The Democratic plan preserves investments in job-creating programs, cuts wasteful spending, and protects Medicare for our seniors.”

Under the proposal, set to receive a vote in the House next week, seniors would see their out-of-pocket costs increase by as much as $5,900 per year.
The Republican budget would also reopen the prescription drug donut hole for millions of current seniors, forcing them to pay an additional $2.5 billion dollars for prescription drugs next year alone. A county-by-county breakdown of seniors’ savings on prescription drugs thanks to the Affordable Care Act through December 2012 can be found here. These savings would be wiped out in the Republican budget plan.

Report Highlights:

• The Republican plan could increase out-of-pocket health care costs per senior by $5,900.
• Nationwide, over 3.5 million seniors saved more than $2.5 billion in prescription drug costs last year. The GOP budget would eliminate those savings in the years to come.
• Over 34 million seniors could pay more for preventive services this year.

Last week General Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency and commander of U.S. Cyber Command, was asked to rate how prepared America is to face a cyber terrorist attack on a scale of 1 to 10.

This is what he said: “From my perspective I’d say around a three.”

Keep in mind, one is totally unprepared and 10 is totally prepared.

One of the country’s top national security experts gave us a three out of 10 – a failing grade by any standard.

He went on to say the type of cyber attacks that could black out the United States for weeks or months are up seventeen-fold in the last three years.

The nation’s top security experts have said a “cyber 9-11” is imminent.

And they say frailties in our defenses again these attacks are the most urgent threat to national security.

So it was with disappointment that I filed cloture last night on legislation to reinforce our defenses against malicious hackers.

National security experts have been plain about the urgent need to act. They say the question is not whether to act, but whether we will act in time.

A bipartisan group of Senators has worked for three years to craft the legislation before this body.

Still, I was pleased to hear last week that many of my colleagues were working on thoughtful amendments to improve and strengthen this measure.

Senators on both sides have worked hard to address every concern raised by the private sector about this legislation.

I expected a healthy debate on this issue. I also expected to processes many relevant amendments.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t good enough for a few of my Republican colleagues.

Instead of substantive amendments that deal with our nation’s cyber security, they are insisting on political show votes.

I had thought my Republican colleagues were taking this process seriously.

After all, the threat is clear.

And protecting the computer networks that control our electric grid, water supply and financial system should be above political wrangling.

So I was doubly disappointed to watch a bipartisan process derailed by ideological attacks on women’s right to health care.

As 47 million American women were set to gain access to preventive services with no out-of-pocket cost, Republicans insisted once again on a vote to repeal those benefits.

They want to roll back the clock to the days when insurance companies could discriminate against women – charging them more just because they’re women.

And to take matters worse, they are willing to kill a bill that would protect our nation from cyber terrorism in the process.

This isn’t a new tactic. You may remember how Republicans stalled the transportation bill – and put 3 million jobs at risk – as part of their attack on women’s access to contraception.

Still, I admit I was surprised that Senator McConnell would so brazenly drag partisan politics into the debate over a measure crucial to national security.

Just yesterday Senator McConnell and I received a letter from General Alexander of the NSA urging us to move quickly. This is what he wrote:

“The cyber threat facing the nation is real and demands immediate action. The time to act is now; we simply cannot afford further delay… We need to move forward on comprehensive legislation now. I urge you to work together to get it passed.”

I share General Alexander’s concern.

I agree the Senate should work together to pass this bipartisan legislation without further delay.

Congress Can’t Afford To Waste Time Refighting Old Battles And Should Renew Focus On Creating Jobs

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today regarding the Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act and Congress’ plan to refocus on creating jobs for the American people. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Yesterday the United States Supreme Court reaffirmed that no family should live one illness or accident away from bankruptcy.

The Court’s decision isn’t a victory for Democrats or for President Obama – it’s a true victory for the American people.

Let me give you a few reasons why.

Since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, more than 6 million young people have signed up for their parents’ health plans.

Because children can now stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26, no young person will have to defer his or her dreams to take a job that offers insurance.

Since health reform took effect, 5 million seniors have already saved about $600 each on prescription drugs. Millions more have gotten free wellness checks and cancer screenings.

That means millions of seniors have more money in their pockets for food, gas and the electric bill.

And, hundreds of thousands of businesses that already offer their employees health insurance are getting tax credits for doing the right thing.

Since Congress passed this law, insurance companies can no longer put profits ahead of people.

They can no longer discriminate against children with preexisting conditions.

They can no longer raise your rates for no reason.

They can no longer drop your coverage if you get sick.

Millions of Americans are already seeing the benefits of this law.

And soon, 30 million more who can’t afford health insurance will have access to reasonably priced insurance and quality care.

Here’s how it works. Each state will set up its own health insurance marketplace, called an exchange, which will offer a menu of private insurance plans from which people can choose.

Once these exchanges are in place, insurance companies will no longer be able to discriminate against any American with a preexisting health condition.

They won’t be able to deny you insurance because you’re sick.

They won’t be able to charge you more just because you’re a woman or because you don’t already have insurance.

And if you can’t afford the premiums, you’ll get a tax credit to help pay them.

But what if you’re one of the 250 million Americans who already has insurance? Nothing will change.

Nothing will change except that you’ll no longer have to worry that if you lose your job, you’ll lose your insurance.

Nothing will change except that if you get cancer or have a stroke, your insurance company won’t be allowed to deny life-saving care because you reach some arbitrary lifetime cap.

Nothing will change except that your checkups and preventive care will be free – a provision that’s already helped 54 million Americans with private insurance.

You’ll be able to keep your plan and keep your doctor. But now you – not the insurance company – will be in control.

And by August, almost 13 million people will get a rebate check from their insurance company because it spent too much on administrative costs and not enough on health care.

The Affordable Care Act is already helping millions of Americans – seniors on Medicare, children with heart conditions, students following their dreams.

And in the coming months many millions more will benefit from this law.

That’s doesn’t mean the law is perfect. Democrats have already shown we’re willing to work with Republicans to improve it.

But now that the Supreme Court has spoken, it’s time to renew our focus on the most pressing challenge facing this nation: the high unemployment rate.

Too many Americans are still struggling. And Congress can’t afford to waste time refighting old battles.

Now we need to work together to put Americans back to work.

Thanks to cooperation on both sides, I am glad to say the Senate will vote today on the transportation jobs bill conference report.

This package also includes an extension of student loan rates and flood insurance legislation.

Passing these three very important job-creating measures is a real accomplishment for Congress.

Extending the flood insurance program will allow millions of home closings to go forward at a time when our real estate market is just beginning to rebound.

Preventing interest rates from doubling on 7 million students was a major priority for Democrats and for President Obama.

And passing the two-year transportation bill will create or save 2.8 million American jobs – many of them in the hard-hit construction industry.

It will also restore millions of miles of crumbling roadways, railways and bridges.

This has been an incredibly productive week. And it tops off a fruitful session.

This month we passed a bipartisan farm bill that will give certainty to an agriculture industry that supports 16 million jobs.

I am optimistic the Senate will maintain a spirit of collaboration during the next work period, when we will consider a number of other job-creation measures.

I hope all my colleagues have a constructive week in their home states, and a safe and happy Fourth of July.

And I hope they come back rested and ready to work on in July, because we have a lot to get done next month to ensure this country’s economic future.

I look forward to taking on that challenge together.

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the Affordable Care Act is a win not only for the millions of Vermonters and other Americans who have long been victimized by a deeply flawed health care system, but for all Americans who will benefit as we continue to implement this landmark law.

“Over much of the last century, generation after generation has unsuccessfully grappled with how to answer complex and increasingly urgent questions about how to let every American have access to quality, affordable health insurance.  Out of control costs were eating our economy alive and forcing many employers to drop insurance for their workers.  The Affordable Care Act at last answered those questions.  Though no bill is perfect, these are good reforms, long needed by the American people, by American businesses and by the American economy.

“The nation and every American household now would be best served if this historic decision puts an end to the years of partisan attacks and obstruction of efforts to help the millions of Americans who have fallen through the cracks, and millions more who worry with good reason that they may fall through the cracks of our broken health insurance system.  The Court has spared the American people a return to those decades of spiraling problems and uncertainty that reached into every American household.

“The Court’s decision reaffirms what I have believed since the Senate debated and passed this law: Congress has the power under the Constitution and the Court’s own, long-standing precedent to protect Americans from abuses by health insurers and to help give all Americans with access to affordable health care, including some of the most vulnerable among us like children and older Americans.

“In passing the Affordable Care Act, Congress built on the cornerstones of modern America like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, to strengthen the Nation’s social safety net and help protect hardworking Americans.  I have served in the Senate for 37 years, through seven presidencies.  I am one of the few people in the Senate today who can say that I served alongside representatives who voted to create our nation’s Social Security system, voted for the G.I. bill, passed the Voting Rights Act, and created Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start.  Congress has come together to refine the laws establishing these programs.  We should similarly come together to further improve the Affordable Care Act where needed.  It’s time to stop the political posturing.  Congress works best for the American people when we are able to come together to solve national problems.  America is stronger when we do.”

Statement Of Senator Max Baucus (D-Mt.)
Chairman, Senate Finance Committee

“This is a win for millions of American families, small businesses, and seniors who are getting more affordable health care, tax cuts, and protections from insurance company abuses thanks to this law.  Now it’s time to put politics aside.  We need to move forward and find ways to work together to put America back on track.”

Statement Of Senator Tom Harkin (D-Ia.)
Chairman, Senate HELP Committee

 “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is a rigorous, resounding confirmation of the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.  It is great news for America’s families and businesses, and for our economy.  This decision keeps consumers, rather than insurance companies, in the driver’s seat, and protects the more than $1 trillion in deficit reduction included in the ACA. Today’s decision allows us to continue our work replacing the current sick care system with a genuine health care system – one focused on wellness, prevention, and public health, keeping people out of the hospital in the first place.

“I am heartened to see that the hundreds of millions of corporate dollars poured into the effort to kill the Affordable Care Act did not win. This law is a critical step in the right direction; I have likened it to a starter home, suitable for improvement.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sensible changes as we continue to implement the law.  I invite them to bring their tool kits, rather than their sledgehammers, so we can work together to improve the law.

“The choice is to go forward, or be dragged backward.  I believe the great majority of Americans want to go forward – and today the Supreme Court made clear what we have long known: that the opposition is standing on the wrong side of history.  Now let’s get back to work building a health care system that works not only for the healthy and wealthy, but for all Americans.”

Soon, every man woman & child in America will have access to health insurance they can afford & vital care they need: bit.ly/OzwFbs

— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) June 28, 2012

Today’s #SCOTUS ruling on #ACA is a victory for the health care security and stability of Washington families. –PM #HCR

— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) June 28, 2012

A great day for America! #ACA

— Tom Harkin (@SenatorHarkin) June 28, 2012

#SCOTUS ACA decision shows the time for fighting over healthcare validity is over. Congress shd focus on #1 issue: jobs

— Chuck Schumer (@ChuckSchumer) June 28, 2012

More on @msnbctv “I hope Democrats and Republicans will continue to work together to provide affordable healthcare for all Americans. “- Ben

— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) June 28, 2012

Today’s decision creates a clear path forward. We must now focus on how to best deliver affordable, high-quality care for every American.

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) June 28, 2012

#SCOTUS #ACA decision is a big win for #VTers and millions of Americans who have long been victimized by a flawed health care system

— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) June 28, 2012

All Americans should have access to health care. Today, the Supreme Court validated that principle by upholding the Affordable Care Act.

— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) June 28, 2012

The #SCOTUS decision today is great news for America’s families, who deserve affordable health care. #ACA

— Sen. Barbara Boxer (@SenatorBoxer) June 28, 2012

#SCOTUS #ACA ruling is a #victory for lower health care costs and greater access to quality care for all New Jerseyans and all Americans.

— Sen. Robert Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) June 28, 2012

The #ACA is already making #healthcare more affordable, accessible, and reliable for thousands of Arkansans: healthcare.gov/law/resources/…

— Senator Mark Pryor (@SenMarkPryor) June 28, 2012

Today #ObamaCare became #AmericaCare & I will fight GOP efforts to turn back the clock on affordable, accessible health care 4 all Americans

— Sen. Robert Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) June 28, 2012

Impt scotus decision/now critics need to end scare tactics/propose something! bit.ly/N7mpRU #ACA #SCOTUS

— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) June 28, 2012

Historic Supreme Court decision means access to affordable health insurance is finally a reality for Californians. bit.ly/LRyBHf

— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) June 28, 2012

I applaud today’s decision to uphold the health care reform law. This is a huge win for South Dakotans and the nation. johnson.senate.gov/public/index.c…

— Senator Tim Johnson (@SenJohnsonSD) June 28, 2012

Carl statement on SCOTUS ruling: “Important step toward universal health care.” FULL STATEMENT: levin.senate.gov/newsroom/press…

— Senator Carl Levin (@SenCarlLevin) June 28, 2012

Now, after #ACA decision, let’s come together 2 solve problems, strengthen the economy and create more jobs leahy.senate.gov/press/press_re…

— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) June 28, 2012

“today’s decision ensures middle class families will have access to invaluable patient protection”- Ben twitter.com/SenatorCardin/…

— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) June 28, 2012

Glad #SCOTUS affirmed the constitutionality of #ACA. Now, let’s get back to focusing on #jobs. bit.ly/MVBVnl #HCR #COPolitics #COjobs

— Mark Udall (@MarkUdall) June 28, 2012

#SCOTUS upholding #HCR is a victory for all Americans that will give #RI families access to more affordable coverage. bit.ly/LiOVRU

— Senator Jack Reed (@SenJackReed) June 28, 2012

Thanks to #ObamaCare, 3.3 million in #NJ no longer have lifetime limit on their health benefits. #Upheld

— Frank R. Lautenberg (@FrankLautenberg) June 28, 2012

Today is a good day for millions of Americans who have pre-existing conditions who can no longer be rejected by insurance companies. -B #ACA

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 28, 2012

I am proud of my work to make #ACA a reality. Its benefits are clear: ↓ deficit, ↑ access and affordability & improves health outcomes

— Mary Landrieu (@SenLandrieu) June 28, 2012

Statement from Senator Coons on #SCOTUS decision on Affordable Care Act bit.ly/NRW6Uj #netDE

— Office of Sen. Coons (@SenCoonsOffice) June 28, 2012

#SCOTUS #ACA decision also helps the Latino community keep the benefits they gained under the law #AmericaCare twitter.com/SenatorMenende…

— Sen. Robert Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) June 28, 2012

Today’s health care ruling ushers in a new era of affordable and accessible healthcare for all Americans…. fb.me/1Uozb8gXZ

— Ben Nelson (@SenBenNelson) June 28, 2012

This law is already helping thousands of people in #NH and it’s going to help thousands more #SCOTUS #ACA on.fb.me/N7IgbT

— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) June 28, 2012

“This decision preserves not only the health care law, but also the Supreme Court’s position as an institution above politics. Just as Speaker Boehner vowed not to spike the football if the law was overturned, Republicans should not carry on out of pique now that the law has been upheld. Democrats remain willing to cooperate on potential improvements to the law, but now that all three branches of government have ratified this law, the time for quarreling over its validity is over. Congress must now return its full-time focus to the issue that matters most to the public, and that is jobs.”

I’m pleased to see the Supreme Court put the rule of law ahead of partisanship, and ruled the Affordable Care Act constitutional.

Millions of Americans are already seeing the benefits of this law.

Seniors are saving money on their prescriptions and checkups.

Children can no longer be denied insurance because they have a preexisting condition, a protection that will soon extend to every American.

No longer will American families be a car accident or heart attack away from bankruptcy.

No longer will they live in fear of losing their health insurance because they lose their job.

No longer will tens of millions of Americans rely on emergency room care – or go without care entirely – because they have no insurance at all.

Soon, virtually every man, woman and child in America will have access to health insurance they can afford and the vital care they need.

Passing the Affordable Care Act was the greatest single step in generations toward ensuring access to affordable, quality healthcare for every American – regardless of where they live or how much money they make.

Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress continue to target the rights and benefits guaranteed under this law.

They would like to give the power of life and death back to insurance companies.

But the United States Supreme Court has spoken. This matter is settled.

No one thinks this law is perfect. But Democrats have proven we’re willing to work with Republicans to improve the Affordable Care Act.

Millions of Americans are still struggling to find work. Our first priority must be to improve the economy.

It’s time for Republicans to stop refighting yesterday’s battles.

Now that this matter is settled, I hope we can work together to create jobs and secure this country’s economic future.

When someone we love gets sick the only thing on our minds is how to help them get them well – how to get them the care they need.

But before every miracle drug or innovative new device comes to market, there is a rigorous approval process to make sure that cure is safe.

To get life-saving drugs and devices to the patients who need them as quickly and efficiently as possible, Congress must give the Food and Drug Administration the tools it needs to review and approve those products.

Today the Senate will begin consideration of legislation that gives the FDA the resources to ensure medical devices, drugs and treatments are safe and effective.

I applaud the work of my colleagues, Senator Harkin and Senator Enzi, to bring this legislation to the floor.

I hope to see the strong, bipartisan effort these two senators began continue as the Senate considers this important measure.

The Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act authorizes the FDA to charge user fees of the manufacturers of new medical products. Those fees are used to ensure their products are reviewed quickly and thoroughly before they are and approved.

But this legislation does more than maintain the status quo. It also enacts crucial reforms that will prevent drug shortages and bring life-saving medicines to market more quickly.

It will save high-tech jobs in the medical field, make new treatments available to patients quickly and preserve America’s role as a global leader in biomedical innovation.

The legislation will expedite the process of approving new drugs and medical devices, including many designed for children, while ensuring those products are safe for consumers.

It will help spur the innovations that bring the next groundbreaking cancer or Parkinson’s drug to market.

The bill will hold foreign manufacturer who sell drugs in United States to the same high standards met by American companies.

And it will help prevent drug shortages by opening up the lines of communication between manufacturers and the FDA.

The Senior Senator from Minnesota, Senator Klobuchar, and the Junior Senator from Pennsylvania, Senator Casey, have been leaders on this drug shortage issue. I appreciate their efforts to safeguard Americans’ health.

Every day, hospitals across the country experience shortages of life-saving, FDA-approved drugs and treatments.

As most Senators know, my wife has been ill with cancer. She had 20 weeks of chemotherapy, and every week we worried the drug wouldn’t be there on Monday morning at noon, when she went for treatment.

Fortunately for us, it was always available. But that isn’t always the case.

These shortages threaten public health, and prevent patients from getting the care they need.

Shortages of one drug used to treat a rare form of childhood leukemia – a drug that is an effective cure in 90 percent of cases – have literally put young lives at risk.

No mother or father should have to watch a child suffers as he waits for life-saving medicine.

But as the number of drug shortages increases each year, more parents wait and worry.

In 2005, the FDA reported shortages of 55 medications.

Last year, the number jumped to 231 – including the leukemia drug I just mentioned and some chemotherapy medicines.

These shortages are caused by a variety of factors – problems at factories, limited manufacturing capacity or lack of raw materials.

Some are even caused by lack of financial incentive – profit motive – for companies to manufacture enough of certain medicines.

Public awareness and pressure have prompted drug makers to voluntarily notify the FDA of many impending shortages – preventing almost 200 more shortages last year alone.

But Congress can and must do more to improve communication between drug makers, the FDA and hospitals that provide crucial care.

Passing this legislation without delay will be a leap forward in that process.

As a Result, 30 Million Americans Could Get Kicked Off Medicaid – Forcing Seniors to Be Denied Critical, Life-Saving Care

New State-by-State Analysis of Impact of Extreme GOP Budget Found HERE

Washington, DC—The Democratic Policy and Communications Center (DPCC) today released new national and state-by-state reports (see below) revealing the devastating impact the Republican Medicare-ending budget would have on seniors, families, and nursing home residents.  The report shows that, on top of ending Medicare as we know it and increasing seniors’ out-of-pocket health care costs by nearly $6,000, the GOP budget would also cut $1.7 trillion in Medicaid benefits for seniors, families, and those in nursing homes, which could force as many as 30 million Americans off of the program.

The GOP budget cuts $550 billion in health care benefits specifically for seniors and the disabled, which could lead to them being denied access to life-saving care and shutting nursing homes down across the country.  With state governments across the country already cash-strapped, the reduced federal support and increased burdens included in the GOP proposal would require them to drastically slash benefits, increase taxes, or both.

Report Highlights:

• The Republican plan could force as many as 30 million Americans off of Medicaid.
• The Republican plan cuts over $1.7 trillion from health care services provided through Medicaid, including $550 billion in health care for seniors and the disabled.  As a result, nursing homes across the country could be forced to slash services, turn away seniors, or close their doors.
• The Republican plan would shift costs to state taxpayers at a time when 41 states already face a budget crisis.  This could lead to huge tax hikes on taxpayers in states across the country.

The Republican budget also doubles-down on their effort to end Medicare as we know it. Under their plan, over 45 million soon-to-be seniors would be forced out of Medicare’s guaranteed benefits and onto a voucher, and out-of-pocket costs for the typical senior could go up by nearly $6,000.  The DPCC national report and state-by-state breakdown on the impact on Medicare can be found below:

National
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

HEALTH EQUITY AND ACCESS REFORM TODAY ACT (1993)

In 1993, Senate Republicans offered the “Health Equity and Access Today Act” as an alternative to President Clinton’s healthcare proposal. The centerpiece of this proposal was a provision mandating individuals to purchase private health insurance. It had 19 Republican cosponsors, including three Republican senators still in office today.

WYDEN-BENNETT BILL (2007-2009)

The bipartisan Wyden-Bennett bill—introduced in 2007 and then again in 2009—contained an individual mandate. At least 10 Republicans sponsored one of the two versions of the proposal, including four still serving today.

ROMNEYCARE IN MASSACHUSETTS (2006)

In 2006, then-Gov. Mitt Romney signed a universal health care in Massachusetts that included an individual mandate. Sen. Jim DeMint, who endorsed Gov. Romney for President in 2007, said of the Massachusetts law: “I think that’s something we should do for the whole country.”

Budget Will Immediately Reopen Prescription Drug ‘Donut Hole’, Costing Current Seniors Over $10,000 by 2020

New State-By-State Reports Showing Devastating Local Impact on Seniors

Washington, D.C. – The Democratic Policy and Communications Center (DPCC) today released new state-by-state reports that outline the devastating impact of the new Republican budget. Instead of strengthening Medicare, the new Republican budget would end Medicare as we know it, raise the eligibility age to 67, and turn guaranteed benefits for over 45 million seniors into a voucher that will shift higher costs to seniors over time. Under the proposal, set to receive a vote in the House next week, seniors would see their out of pocket costs increate by as much as $5,900 per year.

In addition to ending Medicare as we know it, the Republican budget would also force millions of current seniors across the country back into the prescription drug “donut hole,” costing them more than $10,000 over the next 10 years. A county-by-county breakdown of what seniors saved in prescription drug costs in 2012 can be found here. Seniors would lose all of that money out of their pockets going forward if the GOP budget was enacted into law.

Report Highlights:

• Over 45 million Americans who are in 47-56 “near retirement” age group would be forced onto health care “vouchers” when they retire, starting in 2023.
• The Republican plan could increase out-of-pocket health care costs for a typical 67 year-old senior by $5,900.
• Nationwide, over 3.2 million seniors saved more than $2.1 billion in prescription drug costs last year. The GOP budget would eliminate those savings in the years to come.
• Over 35 million seniors could pay more for preventative services this year.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Nevada
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
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• South Carolina
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• Washington
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• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Two years ago tomorrow, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law.

It was the greatest single step in generations toward ensuring access to affordable, quality healthcare for every American – regardless of where they live or how much money they make.

Millions of Americans have already felt the benefits of this law.

Seniors are saving money on their prescriptions and checkups.

Insurance companies can no longer set arbitrary lifetime caps on benefits, putting millions of Americans one car accident or heart attack away from bankruptcy.

Children can no longer be denied insurance because they have a preexisting condition, a protection that will soon extend to all Americans.

And in two shorts years, virtually every man, woman and child in America will have access to health insurance they can afford and the vital care they need.

No longer will hundreds of millions of Americans live in fear of losing their insurance because they lose their job.

And no longer will tens of millions more rely on emergency room care – or go without care entirely – because they have no insurance at all.

Unfortunately, Republicans continue to target the rights and benefits guaranteed under this law.

If Republicans have their way, insurance companies will once again be allowed to deny care to a sick child because he or she has asthma or diabetes.

In Nevada, thousands of children with preexisting conditions would once again be at the whim of insurance companies that care more about making money than about making people better.

If Republicans have their way, young adults just out of college will be kicked off their parents’ insurance plans.

Almost 23,000 young adults in Nevada would once again have to defer their dreams to take jobs that offer health insurance – or else risk going without care.

If Republicans have their way, seniors will pay more for prescriptions and checkups.

More than 230,000 Nevada seniors would once again be forced to pay for wellness visits, cancer screenings and other preventive services.

And tens of thousands of seniors, who saved $12 million on prescription drugs last year, will once again be forced to choose between buying food and buying medicine.

If Republicans have their way, taxes will increase for small businesses. And so will the deficit.

Repealing health care reform would add $1.5 trillion to the federal debt.

But when Democrats undertook healthcare reform, it wasn’t just about saving money – it was about saving lives.

And while the numbers I’ve just discussed are very important, there is one number that matters more than all the others: 45,000.

That is the number of Americans who die every year because they lack health insurance.

That doesn’t include the tens of thousands more who are sick or dying because they have health insurance, but still can’t afford the care they need.

After the rest of the Affordable Care Act has taken effect over the next two years, no American will have to bear what President Lyndon Johnson called “the injustice which denies the miracle of healing to the old and to the poor.”

President Johnson knew that living in a country with the best medical care in the world doesn’t matter if you can’t access that care.

That’s why, almost 47 years ago, he signed Medicare into law.

On that day in July, President Johnson celebrated an American tradition that “calls upon us never to be indifferent toward despair. It commands us never to turn away from helplessness. It directs us never to ignore or to spurn those who suffer untended in a land that is bursting with abundance.”

I am pleased to say the Affordable Care Act continues that tradition.

This law makes certain that the richest nation in the world never again turns its back on the despair, helplessness and suffering of the least among us.

And it guarantees that no insurance company will ever again put a price tag on a human life.

“It’s time for you to put an end to the attacks on women’s health care and to work with the Senate to get back to the American people’s top priority: creating jobs and boosting our economy.”

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, all 12 Democratic women Senators sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner calling on him to rescind his pledge to push forward with efforts to restrict women’s access to contraception after the Blunt amendment was defeated in the Senate. The Senator’s letter comes in the wake of Speaker Boehner’s public pledge to continue efforts to limit birth control access in the House, where a similar version of the Blunt amendment has over 200 co-sponsors. Speaker Boehner’s promise to continue fighting also comes despite a national outcry from women, the overwhelming majority of whom have used contraception at some point in their lifetime.

“We are asking that you abandon the promise you have made to bring legislation to the House floor similar to the Blunt amendment, which was defeated in the Senate last week, and which would turn the clock back on women’s access to health care,” the Senators wrote. “At a time when 99% of sexually active women in the U.S. have used birth control, its role in the lives of women and their families is hard to understate…. That is why the recent Republican attacks on birth control access have been so eye-opening for American women. For most American women, the battle over contraception was settled a half century ago.”

The letter was sent by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kay Hagan (D-NC), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

The full text of the Senator’s letter follows (PDF here):

Speaker Boehner,

We write to express our concerns over your recent statements pledging to continue efforts to put employers between American women and their access to birth control. Specifically, we are asking that you abandon the promise you have made to bring legislation to the House floor similar to the Blunt amendment, which was defeated in the Senate last week, and which would turn the clock back on women’s access to health care. Furthermore, we ask that you listen to the overwhelming outcry from American women who support access to contraception and drop all politically-charged efforts to deny them coverage.

Today, at a time when 99% of sexually active women in the U.S. have used birth control, its role in the lives of women and their families is hard to understate. Access to birth control is directly linked to declines in maternal and infant mortality, can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, and is linked to overall good health outcomes. Nationwide, 1.5 million women use contraceptives only as treatment for serious medical conditions. And most importantly, access to birth control helps reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, a goal we all share.

That is why the recent Republican attacks on birth control access have been so eye-opening for American women. For most American women, the battle over contraception was settled a half century ago. Yet, over the course of the past month alone, women have watched as panels on birth control have been convened without women, a young woman that dared to speak out in defense of birth control was subjected to vile name-calling, and extreme legislation, like the Blunt amendment, has been pushed to deny access.

Women have had enough. As we have heard from countless women in our home states and here on Capitol Hill, they are tired of being targets for a political strategy that endangers their health care and they want it to stop. We hope that you can answer their calls, and ours. It’s time for you to put an end to the attacks on women’s health care and to work with the Senate to get back to the American people’s top priority: creating jobs and boosting our economy.

As you may know, today is International Women’s Day, a day celebrated each year to mark the political, social, and economic progress women have made. We ask that on this day you join with us in working to ensure that we build on the progress of the past, not reverse it.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kay Hagan (D-NC), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)

The legislation would have let bosses anywhere deny women access to preventive care for female employees on the basis of religious or moral objections. Women across the country could have lost coverage to critical health services, such as contraception, mammograms, pre-cancerous screenings, and prenatal care.

Republicans have signaled they want to continue debating access to health care. Senate Democrats will not stop fighting to protect the health and well-being of women and men across the country.

To learn more about the dangerous Republican proposal that was rejected last week, click here.

“The closeness of this vote show how high the stakes are on this issue. Republicans want to force women to surrender their health decisions to their bosses, and even let employers deny women access to contraception. Some of the wiser Republicans already regret forcing this issue to the floor and voted it for with clenched teeth. If Republicans keep this up, they are going to drive away independents just like they are driving the moderates out of their caucus.”

“Today’s vote showed us a great deal about where Republicans’ priorities lie. Instead of working with Democrats to create jobs, Republicans are trying to deny women access to health care services like contraception. Democrats are trying to move forward with a bill that would create or save nearly two million American jobs. But at the urging of the Tea Party, Republicans are obstructing this jobs bill with unrelated amendments like the one we defeated today.

“Republicans’ proposal to let any employer deny women access to contraceptives would not create a single job. Under Republicans’ proposal, over 170,000 women could lose access to contraception coverage and other health services in Nevada alone.

“The American public wants us to work on bipartisan ways to create jobs – not re-fight the culture wars. I truly hope my Republican colleagues will get the message, and work with us on middle-of-the-road solutions to create jobs and grow our economy.”

Snowe: ‘Much Broader Than I Could Support’ … Murkowksi: ‘Don’t Know Where We Are Going With This Issue’

Sen. Olympia Snowe: “With Respect To The Blunt Amendment, It’s Much Broader Than I Could Support.” [MSNBC, 2/29/12]

Sen. Murkowski: “I Don’t Know Where We Are Going With This Issue.” “But other Republicans said that the party had other priorities and that they wanted more information about how the new requirement would work. ‘I don’t know where we are going with this issue,’ said Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska. Ms. Murkowski said she did not want a vote on the issue this week. ‘We’ve got way too much else to be doing,’ Ms. Murkowski said, adding that her constituents were more concerned about energy policy.” [New York Times, 2/29/12]

Joe Scarborough Warns Republicans: In Debate Over Contraception, “Republicans Will Get Routed in Swing Areas.” Scarborough: “My warning last week was to the Obama administration this week it is to the Republicans… They need to be very careful about how they push forward on this issue, because if it stops being about freedom of religion and starts being about contraception then Republicans will get routed in swing areas.”  [MSNBC, 2/14/12]

Illinois GOP Party Chair: Contraceptive Debate “Hurts Us With Independents.”  Illinois Republican Party chair Pat Brady said of the contraceptive debate, “it hurts us with independents.” [Chicago Sun-Times, 2/28/12]

Top Senate GOP Aide: “There Could Be Consequences” For Taking Aim At Women’s Health. “But there’s worry even within his own party that his proposal goes too far and could unleash a voter backlash in a year the GOP hopes to wrest control of the White House and Senate from Democrats. ‘There is a concern his amendment was written too broadly,’ said a top Senate GOP aide. ‘There is fear that it will shift attention from religious freedom to women’s health. If that happens, there could be consequences.’” [Politico, 2/29/12]

Former Presidential Candidate Rudy Giuliani: “It Makes The Party Look Like it Isn’t a Modern Party.” “‘It makes the party look like it isn’t a modern party,’ Rudy Giuliani told CNN’s Erin Burnett, fretting about the candidates’ Cotton Mather attitude about women and gays. ‘It doesn’t understand the modern world that we live in.’” [NY Times, 2/25/12]

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson: Party Should “Move On” To More Pressing Issues. “Emerson said the party could be better served to accept the ruling and focus on more pressing issues. ‘I think getting the president to compromise on [the ruling] was a significant victory, and people should embrace it and move on,’ she said.” [USA Today, 2/17/12]

Republican Adviser Juleanna Glover: Women Will Think All Republicans Oppose Birth Control. “Republican adviser and hostess Juleanna Glover said on her Facebook page that women will think all Republicans oppose birth control ‘and none but the 1 percent of Catholic women who never used birth control will vote for (the) GOP nominee.’” [AP, 2/23/12]

South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard Said “He Was Worried The Debate Over Such Issues Might Alienate Uncommitted Voters.”  “Some Republican governors voiced concern that social issues like contraception and gay marriage had at times eclipsed discussion of the economy in the primary race.  ‘I do agree those social issues are not as significant as some of the economic and fiscal issues that really threaten our way of life,’ South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard said, saying he was worried the debate over such issues might alienate uncommitted voters.” [AP, 2/25/12]

Blunt Amendment Is So Far Reaching It Would Allow Any Corporation or Health Plan to Deny Women and Their Families Access to These Services For Virtually Any Reason

Amendment Set to Receive Senate Vote As Early As This Week

Washington, DC – Today the Democratic Policy and Communications Center released state-by-state data on the potential impact of Senator Roy Blunt’s (R-MO) so called “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act” on women’s access to preventive care.  Data recently compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that an estimated 20.4 million women are now taking advantage of preventive health care services provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Blunt legislation could put their access to these services at risk.  These services will include contraception, mammograms, pre-natal screenings, cervical cancer screenings, flu shots and much more.  The legislation has been introduced as an amendment to the surface transportation bill and will likely get a vote in the Senate as early as this week.

A state by state breakdown of the data can be found below and here.

Under the Affordable Care Act many insurance plans are now required to provide free coverage for certain recommended preventive health services.  The Blunt Amendment is so extreme that it would allow any corporation or health plan to deny access to these services, for any reason.  It provides employers with extraordinarily wide and unprecedented latitude over what should be covered.  A corporation could decide, for example, that cancer screenings are driving up their insurance costs and remove them from their health plan.  An employer could also deny prenatal care for expecting mothers.

Data comes from the Department of Health and Human Services – http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2012/PreventiveServices/ib.shtml

The legislation would allow employers to deny their employees’ contraception coverage, among other preventive services, merely on the basis of “moral objections.” Female senators voiced opposition to the measure today from the floor, and called on their Democratic and Republican colleagues to stand by them in favor of protecting women’s access to such services.

Watch a video clip to catch their remarks here.

Republicans Ignoring Polls Showing Broad Support For Administration Compromise – Including Among Catholic Women

New Push Is Just The Latest In Litany Of Republican Efforts To Curtail Women’s Access To Health Services

DECLARING “THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE,” REPUBLICANS VOW TO PURSUE EXTREME MEASURES TO RESTRICT WOMEN’S ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES.

Sen. McConnell Pledges Senate Vote On Blunt Proposal To Give Employers Unprecedented Power To Deny Women Access To Critical Health Services. SCHIEFFER: “Well I guess what I’m asking you though is are you willing as far as Senator Blunt now wants to go and just write in legislation that would ban any group that had just a, quote, moral objection, not just a religious group but just any group that had a moral objection to that? Would you be willing to push that in the senate?” MCCONNELL: “Yeah. You know, if we end up having to try to overcome the president’s opposition by legislation, of course, I’d be happy to support it and intend to support it. It would be difficult as long as the president is rigid in his view that he gets to decide what somebody else’s religion is. I assume he would veto it. But yeah, we’ll be voting on that in the Senate. And you can anticipate that that would happen as soon as possible.” [Face the Nation, 2/13/12]

Speaker Boehner Vows Push To Restrict Women’s Access To Contraception.  “House Republicans say religious leaders are not convinced the White House contraception compromise ‘doesn’t constitute an attack on religious freedom, which has been a fundamental American right for more than 200 years,’ a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner said Friday. He urged the president to work with the Catholic bishops, and in the meantime the House would work on legislation ‘that respects all Americans’ constitutional rights.’” [Politico Pro, 2/10/12]

Sen. Coats: “There Is No Room For Compromise.” “Today’s announcement changes nothing. Whether religious employers are forced to pay directly for contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs or to act as facilitators, their religious liberty remains compromised. But what the president fails to understand is that when it comes to freedom of religion – a core American principle – there is no room for compromise.” [Press Release, 2/10/12]

Sen. Hatch: Anything Short Of Full GOP Position “Is No Compromise.” “This is about religious freedom, and anything short of a full exemption is no compromise” [Press Release, 2/10/12]

Sen. Blunt: Administration Compromise Is An “Accounting Gimmick.” “Just because you can come up with an accounting gimmick and pretend like religious institutions do not have to pay for the mandate, does not mean that you’ve satisfied the fundamental constitutional freedoms that all Americans are guaranteed. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that we reverse this unconstitutional mandate in its entirety.” [Press Release, 2/10/12]

Sen. Johanns: Repeal Entire Mandate. “Though he may call this a compromise, asking people of faith to turn their backs on their deeply held beliefs is anything but. The one thing you cannot compromise is your conscience, and the only way to avoid this dilemma is to repeal the mandate and protect fundamental rights granted by the Constitution.” [Press Release, 2/10/12]

Sen. Rubio: Solution Is Full Repeal Of Health Reform. “It’s good that the president reaffirmed that the federal government cannot force faith-based institutions to provide services that they teach are wrong. Unfortunately, as more of these rules are written, our constitutional rights will continue to be threatened by the administration’s policy goals. This issue exemplifies the problem with putting the federal government in charge of health care, and shows why we must fully repeal Obamacare.” [Sunshine State News, 2/10/12]

REPUBLICANS BACK RADICAL PROPOSAL TO ALLOW EMPLOYERS TO DENY COVERAGE FOR CONTRACEPTION AND OTHER CRITICAL HEALTH SERVICES TO WOMEN

Senator Blunt’s Proposal Lets Any Employer Deny Anyone Access to Health Care.  As part of their ongoing effort to politicize women’s health, Senator Blunt’s extreme measure would essentially allow any employer or health plan to decide not to provide any essential health benefit or preventive service to any American.

• Under Blunt Proposal, Any Employer Could Invoke Vague “Moral Conviction” To Deny Health Services To Employees.  The Blunt measure would allow employers and insurance companies to deny coverage of any health service – not limited to birth control – based on “religious beliefs or moral convictions.” This definition is so broad, for example, that CEO’s with a “moral objection” to Type 2 Diabetes or HIV screening could deny coverage of these services to all employees. [NWLC, 2/10/12]
• Employers Could Discriminate Against Individuals Under Blunt Proposal. The Blunt proposal would allow health plans to discriminate against individuals based on sex, race, color, national origin, age, and disability. As a result, if a CEO of an insurance company had a “moral objection” to out-of-wedlock births, the company could deny single, pregnant women access to routine sonograms. [NWLC, 2/10/12]
• Blunt Proposal Creates An Unprecedented Right of Action for “Threatened” Violations. Any individual would have the right to file a lawsuit in Federal court for actual or “threatened violations.” As a result, state officials might be less likely to enforce any law which could be perceived as a threat, thereby resulting in further restricted access to critical services. [NWLC, 2/10/12]

POLLS SHOW AMERICANS – INCLUDING CATHOLICS – BROADLY SUPPORTS BIRTH CONTROL BENEFIT

Poll: Fifty Six Percent of Voters Support Birth Control Benefit.  According to a poll conducted by PPP, 56 percent of voters support the birth control benefit, while only 37 percent are opposed, with women supporting the measure by a margin of 63 -29 percent.  Among independents 55 percent support it while only 36 percent oppose it.  [PPP, 2/10/11]

Poll: Fifty Three Percent of Catholics Support Birth Control Benefit.  According to a poll conducted by PPP, 53 percent of Catholics support  the birth control benefit while only 44 percent are opposed.  [PPP, 2/10/11]

THIS IS JUST THE LATEST IN LITANY OF REPUBLICAN EFFORTS TO CURTAIL WOMEN’S ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES

Republicans Threatened to Shut Down the Government to Defund Planned Parenthood.  In April 2011, during the debate over funding the government, Republicans threatened to shut down the federal government in order to gut women’s access to healthcare. [ABC News, 4/8/11]

235 House Republicans Voted To Eliminate All Funding For Title X, Jeopardizing Critical Preventive Health Services for Women.  HR.1, the House Republican’s spending bill eliminated $327 million from Title X, whose providers served close to 5 million women with preventive services including screenings for breast and cervical cancer. [Wall Street Journal, 2/9/11; H.R. 1; Vote 147, 2/19/11]

Republican Budget Raised Prescription Drug Prices on 2 Million Women. The House Republican budget re-opened the Medicare Part D prescription drug “donut hole.”  As a result, senior women would have had to pay an additional $599 on average under the Republican proposal. [HHS, 2/2/12]

Last year’s Republican budget suggested converting Medicare into a voucher-type program, forcing seniors to pay $6,359 more for health care – more than double what they would pay under traditional Medicare – and  slashing benefits for more than 20 million Americans. In addition, their budget would have “reopened” the prescription drug donut hole, forcing seniors to pay an estimated $44 billion in additional drugs costs. Although the public clearly rejected their proposed reforms, Republicans have dug in on their pursuit of policies  which protect special interest subsidies and tax breaks for those at the top, while jeopardizing programs critical to America’s seniors.

This time, House Speaker John Boehner and Chairman Ryan announced plans to “end Medicare as we know it” with a new wrinkle.   Health economists indicate that this new premium support model, “likely would shift substantial costs to beneficiaries rather than protect them from such cost increases, could lead to the demise of traditional Medicare over time rather than preserve it, and likely would produce few savings.” The plan has already been rejected by Congressional Democrats and the White House.

Meanwhile, Republicans are working to pave the way for this and other radical proposals to cut Medicare and Social Security benefits for seniors. This week, the House Budget Committee will consider a Ribble-Ryan bill (H.R. 3577) that purports to “streamline the budget process.”  According to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, this legislation could make it easier to require deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security through the budget.

Instead of pushing extreme policies that will end Medicare, Republicans should work with Democrats to cut waste, reduce fraud, and improve efficiency in the delivery of health care using America’s innovative technology.

“Families, seniors and small businesses in Nevada and across the country are reaping the benefits of health insurance reform. Prescription drug costs for seniors are falling as the Medicare ‘donut hole’ closes, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, and business owners are taking advantage of tax breaks. Just last week, a conservative judge appointed by President Reagan ruled that this legislation is Constitutional, and I am confident the high court will do the same.”

Washington, D.C.–Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following remarks today on the Senate floor on Medicare. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Often very good ideas – no matter how important – take time to ripen. And even when they are ripe, they need dedicated advocates to make them reality. Let me give you an example.

President Harry Truman once said this:

“Millions of our citizens do not now have a full measure of opportunity to achieve and to enjoy good health. Millions do not now have protection or security against the economic effects of sickness. And the time has now arrived for action to help them attain that opportunity and to help them get that protection.”

But in 1945, when Truman spoke those words to Congress, the time had not yet truly arrived. In fact, it would be another 20 years before Truman’s good idea was realized. It was 20 years before Truman became the first of 19 million Americans to receive a Medicare card.

President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law in the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri. The law took effect almost a year later – 45 years ago this week – on July 1^st, 1966.

At the time that Medicare took effect, only half of Americans 65 and older had access to health care coverage. A third of American seniors lived in poverty.

“Poverty was so common that we didn’t know it had a name,” Johnson said, describing a time before Medicare.

Today, virtually every American over 65 has access to health care. And the number of seniors that live below the poverty line has dropped by 75 percent.

That’s no accident. Medicare provides 47 million Americans with the access to care and the protection from poverty that Truman envisioned more than 65 years ago.

And Medicare and Medicaid don’t only protect seniors from poverty – they also protect those seniors’ children. Forty-six years ago, middle-class families often spent themselves into the poor house honoring their commitment to their fathers and mothers. Today seniors and their children have the security that Medicare and Medicaid will be there to honor that commitment – providing health care and nursing home care when they need it.

But Medicare doesn’t only save American seniors money. It also saves their lives.

In 1964, just before Medicare was signed into law, seniors lived an average 70 years. Today, the national average is more than 78 years. There is, perhaps, no achievement greater than that. This law literally extended Americans’ life expectancy.

Forty-six years ago, before signing Medicare into law, President Johnson made this vow:

“No longer will this Nation refuse the hand of justice to those who have given a lifetime of service and wisdom and labor to the progress of this progressive country.”

Democrats intend to honor that solemn vow. But today Medicare is under siege.

Republicans would trade away the health and safety of today’s seniors for the sake of tax breaks for billionaires, wealthy oil companies and corporations that ship jobs overseas. They would trade that sense of security – that “hand of justice” Johnson described – to protect tax breaks on corporate jets.

Their ideological budget would end Medicare as we know it, once again subjecting seniors to the rising costs of health care. Democrats refuse to let that happen.

A lot has changed since 1966. New technologies have been developed that keep Americans healthier and help them live longer. New medicines for diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are being invented all the time. And hip replacements and chemotherapy – pioneered in the 60’s – are now performed in the United States every single day. Medicine has changed.

But one thing hasn’t changed: seniors need Medicare. In fact, the rising cost of health care today means seniors need Medicare’s protection now more than ever.

That’s why I will never stop fighting to preserve this successful program. As long as I am in the Senate, I will oppose Republican plans to weaken or undermine it. Because Republicans’ plan to end Medicare is one idea whose time will never come.

• Improving Access to Care
• New, Draft Form W-2, and Another Assurance that Health Coverage is Not Taxable
• Helping 1,000 More Businesses Help Early Retirees
• Ensuring Access to Health Insurance for Children with Pre-Existing Conditions
• Putting Patients Back in Charge
• Improving Care and Preventing Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities
• Legal Challenges to the Affordable Care Act
• Additional Information

Previous updates on health reform implementation and other information are available from the DPC. [DPC]

Improving Access to Care

Community Health Centers

The Affordable Care Act creates an expanded and sustained national investment in community health centers by providing $11 billion over five years to these critical health care providers. [P.L. 111-148; P.L. 111-152]  The country’s 1,250 community health centers provide quality health care to 20 million Americans without regard to a patient’s ability to pay or health insurance coverage. [National Association of Community Health Centers, accessed 8/23/10]  The Affordable Care Act’s investment in community health centers will allow them to nearly double the number of patients they serve.  By providing primary care and focusing on preventive services, health centers estimate they save our health care system $9.9 billion – $17.6 billion each year.

Recently, HHS announced awards of $727 million to 143 community health centers nationwide for construction and renovation projects that, when complete, will allow the health centers to provide care for an additional 745,000 patients. [HHS, 10/8/10]  Community health centers are a constant source of quality, affordable health care to millions of Americans, but especially during this economic downturn, health centers can be a critical source of care for those who have lost their health insurance, who are in between jobs, or who face other financial difficulties.

School-Based Health Centers

HHS and the Health Resources and Services Administrative (HRSA) also recently announced the availability of $100 million in funding for the construction and renovation of school-based health centers. [HRSA, 10/4/10]  The Affordable Care Act includes funding to assist school-based health centers in providing comprehensive and accessible preventive and primary health care services to medically-underserved children and families.  HRSA anticipates 200 grants will be awarded to construct, renovate, or purchase equipment in school-based health centers.  Grant applications are due December 1, 2010, and more information is available at Grants.gov. [Grants.gov, accessed 10/18/10]

New, Draft Form W-2, and Another Assurance that Health Coverage Is Not Taxable

To provide Americans with more information about the value of their health insurance, the Affordable Care Act requires employers to disclose the value of any employer-sponsored health insurance for each employee, on the employee’s annual Form W-2.  Despite an onslaught of rumors to the contrary, employer-sponsored health benefits are absolutelynottaxable, and the Affordable Care Act does not change the tax-free status of these benefits.  Reporting the cost of coverage will be optional in 2011, and, in 2012, all employers who offer health insurance will be required to report the value to each worker on their Form W-2.

Last week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a draft Form W-2 for 2011. [IRS, 10/12/10]  The new draft form looks a lot like the existing Form W-2, except that it includes a space for employers to report the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage. [IRS, undated]  And, the form itself clarifies that the cost is provided for information purposes only:

Cost of employer-sponsored health coverage (if provided by the employer).  The reporting in Box 12, using Code DD, of the cost of employer-sponsored health coverage is for information only.  The amount reported with Code DD is not taxable.

Helping 1,000 More Businesses Help Early Retirees

The Affordable Care Act creates a $5 billion Early Retiree Reinsurance Program to support employer health plans that provide coverage to retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare, helping to protect access to coverage while reducing costs for employers and retirees. [P.L. 111-148; P.L. 111-152]  HHS recently announced that another 1,000 employers were accepted into the program, bringing the total number of participating employers to nearly 3,000. [HHS, 10/4/10]  Participating employers come from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, representing large and small businesses, state and local governments, educational institutions, non-profits, and unions.  A fact sheet explaining the program and a list of all participating employers in each state is available at HealthCare.gov and the list will be updated each week as new employers join the program.  Applications are still being accepted, and more information on the Early Retiree Reinsurance Programs is available at ERRP.gov.  This month, participating employers will begin to submit claims and receive reimbursement payments for qualifying expenses.

The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program is another bridge to the Health Insurance Exchanges and reformed health insurance markets effective in 2014, which will make it easier for earlier retirees to access affordable health insurance.  Skyrocketing health care costs have made it difficult for employers to continue to provide health benefits for employees and retirees, and this temporary program will provide financial assistance until 2014.  Earlier this year, a survey found that 76 percent of large employers that offer retiree benefits planned to pursue participation in the program, and that the average federal reimbursement for each early retiree will represent between 25 and 35 percent of each early retiree’s health care costs. [Hewitt Associates, 5/25/10]

Ensuring Access to Health Insurance for Children with Pre-Existing Conditions

On September 23, 2010, the six month anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, the Patients’ Bill of Rights took effect.  One of the most critical protections included in the Patients’ Bill of Rights prohibits insurers from denying coverage to children who have pre-existing conditions, for all new plans and for existing plans in the group market.  Before enactment, insurers were free to deny health insurance to children who had a pre-existing condition, such as asthma, or could offer to cover the child but refuse to pay for any treatment related to the pre-existing condition.  The Affordable Care Act ended this practice, providing children and their parents the peace of mind that comes with knowing they can always access coverage.

Despite a March 29, 2010, letter in which AHIP expressed its commitment “to make pre-existing condition exclusions a thing of the past,” some health insurers are still choosing to deny coverage to children who need it by refusing to offer new “child-only” policies.  These types of policies are issued in the individual market and cover only children, not an entire family.  Last week, HHS Secretary Sebelius sent a letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners outlining efforts by HHS, working with states, to ensure that children with pre-existing conditions continue to have access to health insurance. [HHS, 10/13/10]  The letter clarifies a range of insurer practices related to child-only policies that are permissible under the Affordable Care Act and highlights answers to frequently asked questions, available online. [HHS, 10/13/10]  In addition, the letter outlines steps some states have taken and other states might consider, including the establishment of open enrollment periods, offering unsubsidized buy-in to a state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and seeking coverage through existing state high-risk pools.  The Affordable Care Act also created the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) which is available to eligible children and adults with pre-existing conditions who have been uninsured for at least six months.   Information is available at PCIP.gov.

Putting Patients Back in Charge

The Affordable Care Act protects consumers by ending some of the worst health insurance industry abuses.  One way the Affordable Care Act protects consumers and puts patients back in charge of their health care is by providing grants to states to establish or expand offices of health insurance consumer assistance or health insurance ombudsman programs. [P.L. 111-148; P.L. 111-152]  These independent offices will assist consumers with enrolling in coverage and with filing complaints and appeals, educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities, and collect, track, and quantify consumer problems and inquiries.

Earlier this year, HHS issued a grant notice, and on October 19, 2010, HHS announced awards of nearly $30 million for state consumer assistance programs. [HHS, 10/19/10]  Thirty-five states, four territories, and the District of Columbia applied for and received this funding.  More information about this grant program and summaries of how each grantee will use this new funding is available at HealthCare.gov. [HealthCare.gov, accessed 10/19/10; HealthCare.gov, accessed 10/19/10]

Improving Care and Preventing Abuse in Long-Term Care Facilities

In order to improve care and prevent abuse in long-term care facilities, the Affordable Care Act requires the Secretary of HHS to establish a nationwide program for national and state background checks on employees with direct access to patients at certain long-term supports and services facilities or providers. [P.L. 111-148; P.L. 111-152]  Earlier this month, HHS announced it had awarded $13 million to six states to design comprehensive applicant criminal background check programs for jobs involving direct patient care. [HHS, 10/6/10]  The Affordable Care Act provides a total of $160 million for the background check program, which should allow all states to participate.   Another round of grants is expected in the near future.

Legal Challenges to the Affordable Care Act

Since the Affordable Care Act became law, several state Attorneys General have filed lawsuits to challenge its constitutionality.  Opponents of health reform, having failed to prevent it from becoming law, are now taking their opposition to the courts.  But constitutional law scholars are confident these suits have no merit, and that, as President Reagan’s Solicitor General Charles Fried wrote, “the health care law’s enemies have no ally in the Constitution.” [DPC, 3/26/10; Boston Globe, 3/21/10]

On October 7, 2010, in the first substantive ruling on the individual responsibility policy, Judge George Caram Steeh of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, determined that the Affordable Care Act is constitutional.  In considering the Commerce Clause, Judge Steeh wrote:  “Far from ‘inactivity,’ by choosing to forgo insurance plaintiffs are making an economic decision to try to pay for health care services later, out of pocket, rather than now through the purchase of insurance, collectively shifting billions of dollars, $43 billion in 2008, onto other market participants.” [Opinion available here]  In dismissing the lawsuit Judge Steeh concluded:  “The minimum coverage provision, which addresses economic decisions regarding health care services that everyone eventually, and inevitably, will need, is a reasonable means of effectuating Congress’s goal.”

On October 14, 2010, Judge Roger Vinson in Florida dismissed four of the six claims brought by several Republican Attorneys General and issued a procedural ruling allowing the two remaining claims to proceed. [Washington Post, 10/15/10]  The ruling does not address the merits of the constitutional claims raised by the suit, but allows the process to continue to a summary judgment hearing later this year.

Additional Information

The Democratic Policy Committee has released 13 previous updates on health reform implementation, available on the DPC website here.  In addition, DPC maintains a centralized listing of health reform implementation resources which is frequently updated and is available here.

Republican Repeal Costs $143 billion

Health Reform Reduces the Deficit

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the official scorekeeper of Congress, determined that the Affordable Care Act reduces the federal deficit by $143 billion over the first ten years of enactment. [CBO, 3/20/10]  The Affordable Care Act reduces the deficit while ensuring that 94 percent of Americans have health insurance and reducing the rate at which health care costs grow.

Republican Repeal Plan Increases the Deficit

Extrapolating from CBO’s estimate of the deficit savings resulting from the Affordable Care Act, repeal of health reform is likely to increase the deficit by $143 billion.

Republican Repeal Raises Drug Costs for Seniors

Health Reform Fills in the “Donut Hole”

More than 1.2 million Medicare beneficiaries who have entered the “donut hole” have received their $250 rebate checks, the first of the Affordable Care Act’s steps to completely fill in the “donut hole” by 2020. [HHS, 9/23/10]  Checks will continue to go out monthly for the rest of the year as beneficiaries enter the coverage gap. [White House, 6/8/10]  The $250 rebate check is tax-free and seniors do not need to do anything to receive it; Medicare automatically mails a check when the beneficiary reaches the “donut hole.” [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 5/10]  Seniors who do not receive Medicare Extra Help should expect their check in the mail within 45 days or less of hitting the coverage gap.  Information on the number of seniors in your state who may qualify for the rebate check is available from the DPC. [DPC, 6/22/10]

Beginning next year, Medicare beneficiaries who do not receive Medicare Extra Help will receive a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs and biologics they purchase when they are in the coverage gap.  In addition to the discount, coverage in the “donut hole” will increase until 2020, when 75 percent coverage on all drugs purchased in the gap will completely fill in the “donut hole.”  More information on filling in the “donut hole” and other benefits of health reform for seniors is available from the DPC. [DPC, 6/10/10]

Republican Repeal Raises Drug Costs for Seniors

The Republican scheme to repeal health reform would deny seniors the $250 rebate check and rescind the 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs and biologics purchased in the “donut hole” next year to help them afford their medication.  The Republican plot to repeal reform would ensure the “donut hole” remains in place, rather than being closed by 2020 as under the health reform law.

Republican Repeal Revokes Tax Credits for Small Businesses

Health Reform Provides Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credits

The Affordable Care Act provides tax credits for up to 35 percent of premium costs for small businesses that offer coverage to their employees.  Effective this year, the full credit is available to firms with 10 or fewer employees and average annual wages of up to $25,000, while firms with up to 25 employees and average annual wages of up to $50,000 will also be eligible for a credit.  Beginning in 2014, tax credits are available for up to 50 percent of premium costs.  In April, the Internal Revenue Service began mailing postcards to more than four million small businesses and tax-exempt organizations that may be eligible for the credit, and provided answers to frequently asked questions about the credit. [IRS, 4/19/10; 5/5/10]  Information on the number of small businesses in your state who may qualify for the tax credit is available from the DPC. [DPC, 6/22/10]

Republican Repeal Plan Revokes Tax Credits for Small Businesses

The Republican scheme to repeal health reform would deny small businesses this tax credit, putting small business owners right back where they were before health reform was enacted, struggling to find affordable coverage options to offer their employees, or simply not offering coverage because affordable plans are unavailable.

Republican Repeal Rescinds Coverage for Young Adults

Health Reform Expands Coverage for Young Adults

The Affordable Care Act allows young adults to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan until their 26^th birthday.  Before passage of the new law, many plans dropped young adults from their parents’ policies at age 19 or upon graduation from high school or college. [National Conference of State Legislatures, 4/10]  Thirty percent of young adults age 19 through 29 are uninsured, the highest rate of any age group.  This provision is effective for all policies issued or renewed after September 23, 2010, and more than 65 insurance companies voluntarily started providing this coverage to young adults earlier this year, before the deadline. [The White House, 5/10/10]  Information on the number of young adults in your state who may benefit from this coverage extension is available from the DPC. [DPC, 6/22/10]

Republican Repeal Plan Rescinds Coverage Expansion for Young Adults

The Republican scheme to repeal health reform would revoke the new health insurance coverage options that health reform offers for young adults.  For young adults, especially new college graduates facing a challenging job market, the option to stay on a parent’s health insurance could be the only reasonably priced insurance option they have.  Without it, many will be forced to go uninsured.

Republican Repeal Revokes Coverage for Children with Pre-Existing Conditions

Health Reform Guarantees Coverage for Children with Pre-Existing Conditions

The Affordable Care Act prohibits health insurers from denying or excluding coverage of pre-existing conditions for children, effective for policies and plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010, and applying to all group plans and all new plans in the individual market.  The Administration has worked with the health insurance industry, which has agreed to ensure that children with pre-existing conditions are not denied coverage. [HHS, 5/10/10]  This means that children, no matter their health status, and their parents will soon have the peace of mind that comes with knowing coverage of a child’s pre-existing condition cannot be denied.

Republican Repeal Plan Revokes Protections for Children

The Republican scheme to repeal health reform would revoke the protection children now have from having their health insurance coverage denied or limited due to a pre-existing condition.  The Republican effort to repeal reform gives insurance companies the freedom to deny coverage of a child’s pre-existing condition, including congenital conditions a child may have at birth.  No child should be denied health care for a condition they were born with, and every parent deserves the peace of mind that comes with knowing their child’s health care is covered.

Republican Repeal Revokes the Patients’ Bill of Rights

Health Reform Guarantees Patients’ Rights

The Affordable Care Act includes numerous consumer protections and a Patients’ Bill of Rights – provisions that Senate Democrats have been fighting to enact for nearly a decade.  These patient protections take effect for policy or plan years beginning on or after September 23, 2010, and apply to various types of health insurance plans, as noted.

·         No lifetime limits on coverage. Insurers will be prohibited from imposing lifetime limits on benefits.  This provision applies to all new and existing plans in all markets.

·         No coverage rescissions when Americans get sick. Insurers will be prohibited from rescinding health coverage when a beneficiary gets sick as a way of avoiding paying that person’s health care bills.  This provision applies to all new and existing plans in all markets.

·         Required coverage of preventive care with no cost-sharing. Insurers will be required to provide coverage of preventive health care services without cost-sharing.  This provision applies to all new plans in all markets.

·         Regulated annual limits on coverage. Insurance plans’ use of annual limits will be tightly regulated to ensure access to needed care.  This provision applies to all new plans and existing employer plans, until 2014, when the Exchanges are operational and use of any type of annual limit will be banned for all new plans and existing employer plans.

·         Fair opportunity to appeal coverage and claims decisions. Health insurers will be required to develop an appeals process that, at a minimum, provides beneficiaries with a notice of internal and external appeals processes and allows beneficiaries to review their file and present evidence in their appeal.  This provision applies to all new plans in all markets.

·         Right to choose your doctor. Patients’ rights are protected by allowing health insurance plan members to choose any participating primary care provider, or in the case of children, any participating pediatrician, prohibiting insurers from requiring prior authorization before a woman sees an ob-gyn, and ensuring access to emergency care.  This provision applies to all new plans in all markets.

Republican Repeal Plan Revokes Patients’ Rights

The Republican scheme to repeal health reform would deny all Americans the consumer protections and patients’ rights that will soon take effect as a result of the new health reform law.  The Affordable Care Act puts control over health care decisions in the hands of the American people, not insurance companies.  It seems Republicans advocating for repeal of the new law are on the side of insurance companies, not patients.

Republican Repeal Raises Costs for Early Retirees

Health Reform Lowers Costs for Early Retirees

The Affordable Care Act created a $5 billion re-insurance program for employer health plans that offer coverage to retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare, to help protect access to coverage while reducing costs for employers and retirees.  This temporary program will provide financial assistance until 2014, when health insurance Exchanges will make it easier for early retirees to access affordable health insurance options.  Early retirees are at particular risk of becoming uninsured, or of being forced to pay exorbitant premium costs until they become eligible for Medicare, and the percentage of large firms offering retiree coverage has dropped precipitously, from 66 percent in 1988 to just 31 percent in 2008. [The White House, 5/4/10]  The program began on June 1, 2010, in advance of the June 22, 2010, effective date required by law. [Federal Register, 5/5/10; The White House, 5/4/10]  Information on the number of early retirees in your state who may benefit from this program is available from the DPC. [DPC, 6/22/10]

Republican Repeal Plan Leaves Early Retirees Without Critical Protections

The Republican scheme to repeal health reform fails to protect early retirees, who will continue to be at a very high risk of becoming uninsured or of paying excessive premiums if they are lucky enough to maintain their health insurance coverage.  Employers are struggling to continue providing health benefits to retirees, and Republicans are working to repeal the assistance that the health reform law provides them to do the right thing.