Vote to Repeal the ACA Hurts Pennsylvania Families
 
The U.S. House will vote on legislation today that, if enacted, will repeal all the consumer protections guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act.  Instead of working to grow the economy and create jobs, opponents voted today to repeal the Affordable Care Act and all of the benefits and consumer protections that are making a real difference in the lives of millions of Pennsylvanian’s right now.
 
Bobbie Warshaw, a senior from Lebanon, Pa., is worried about the effects of repeal. “My family understands firsthand the benefits of the ACA. As a senior, I am now one of millions of Pennsylvania seniors that has access to free preventive care. My daughter, a small business owner, is receiving a $12,000 tax credit because she offers her employees health insurance. We cannot afford to move backwards! I am scared what will happen to Pennsylvania families if we do.”
 
The politically motivated decision to repeal the Affordable Care Act is reckless and dangerous,” said Antoinette Kraus, Project Director for the Pennsylvania Health Access Network. “2 million Pennsylvania seniors have already started receiving free preventive care under Medicare thanks to the Affordable Care Act.  Nearly 180,000 small businesses in our state are now eligible for tax breaks thanks to this law.  Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to or charge the 2 million Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions more for coverage.  The Affordable Care Act has also already brought in over $78 million to our state in grants.  This is not something we can afford to lose.” 
 
Here are some of the things that will happen in Pennsylvania if opponents are successful with repeal:
 
Consumers including children will be denied coverage and care due to a pre-existing condition. This would leave 683,000 Pennsylvanians at risk of losing coverage when they need it most.
 
Health plans will go back to kicking young adults off their parent’s coverage instead of providing benefits until the age of 26. This means 32,100 young adults would lose health coverage through their parent’s plan in Pennsylvania.
 
Seniors will stop receiving no-cost annual physicals, mammograms and cancer screenings. In Pennsylvania, 2.2 million seniors who have Medicare coverage will be forced to pay co-pays to receive important life saving preventive services.  Also, a voluntary program to enable seniors to live independently would be wiped out, forcing more seniors to crowd into nursing homes.
 
Individuals with sick family members will be forced to file for bankruptcy protection when insurers restore lifetime and annual caps on benefits. Over 7.4 million Pennsylvanians would be vulnerable once again to these abusive health insurance practices.
 
Approximately 190,458 Medicare Beneficiaries in Pennsylvania who received a one- time tax free $250 rebate to help cover the cost of prescription drugs while in the “donut hole” in 2010 will have to return the money to the Treasury Department. Seniors will lose the 50% discount on brand-name drugs when they reach the donut hole this year, and the “donut hole” will stay open permanently.
 
 
 
The Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN) is a coalition of 50 groups from across the Commonwealth working to improve access to quality health care through the expansion of health insurance coverage.  Learn more: www.pahealthaccess.org.