"I believe that Americans should have access to quality and affordable health care. While in Congress, I've worked to make coverage more affordable for more Americans, helped prevent coverage from being denied to those with pre-existing conditions, and made prescription drugs more affordable for seniors."

-    Congressman Donnelly

Click each bullet point below to learn more about Congressman Donnelly’s work on behalf of health care:

• Closing the Medicare Prescription Drug "Donut Hole"
  
• Providing Coverage for People with Pre-existing Conditions
• Ensuring that No Federal Funds are Used for Abortions
• Improving Our Health Care System
• Supporting Community Health Centers

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Closing the Medicare Prescription Drug Donut Hole

Congressman Donnelly talks with a senior in North Central Indiana. He has helped to lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors.

Congressman Donnelly helped make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors by voting to close the Medicare Part D "donut-hole" gap in prescription drug coverage. He also voted to cut in half the price of name-brand drugs for those seniors in the "donut-hole." In addition, he supported a one-time, tax-free, $250 payment to help with the cost of those prescription drugs for more than 50,000 Hoosier Medicare beneficiaries who were in the "donut-hole" of prescription drug coverage in 2010.

Providing Coverage for People with Pre-Existing Conditions

Congressman Donnelly helps raise awareness about breast cancer. He voted to prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer.

Congressman Donnelly voted to prevent coverage from being denied to Americans with pre-existing conditions. In 2011, for the first time, children with cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and other pre-existing conditions could not be denied coverage for their conditions. By 2014, adults with pre-existing conditions will also have access to more affordable coverage.

Ensuring that No Federal Funds are Used for Abortions

Congressman Donnelly holds pro-life beliefs and he has successfully fought to prohibit the use of federal funds for abortions.

Congressman Donnelly holds pro-life beliefs. During the 2009 and 2010 debate about comprehensive health care reform, Congressman Donnelly was a leader in ensuring that the bill that ultimately became law, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, prohibited the use of federal funds for abortions.

Because of Congressman Donnelly and other colleagues, the president signed an executive order that increased the protections in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to make sure that the Hyde Amendment, our current law that prohibits the use of federal funding for abortions, is upheld throughout the entire health insurance reform law.

Improving Our Health Care System

Congressman Donnelly does not think that The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is perfect, and he is willing to work with his colleagues to improve it. He has already acted to improve it. In March 2011, he voted in favor of The Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act, which repealed the overly burdensome 1099 reporting requirement.

Congressman Donnelly also opposes the medical device excise tax that was included in The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He is a co-sponsor of The Protect Medical Innovation Act, which would repeal the excise tax, and he voted for that legislation on the House floor.

Supporting Community Health Centers

Community Health Centers provide quality preventive and primary health care in underserved communities, including many in Indiana, such as Heart City Health Clinic in Elkhart and Healthlinc in Michigan City. While in Congress, Congressman Donnelly has consistently voted for federal funding for community health centers that provide important services to Hoosiers and reduce costs for our health care system.