Keep The Affordable Care Act

March 24, 2011

OP-ED
Keep the Affordable Care Act

“One year ago, I voted to strengthen the livelihood and well-being of the people of our great nation and particularly for the residents of the 15th Congressional District of Texas by supporting the Affordable Care Act.

Throughout the year there has been so much rhetoric and second guessing of the most historical health care law our country has ever seen. Much of what has been said by my colleagues from the other side of the aisle is simply not true. House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell say they want a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act. They replace common sense with myths that it will make our country fall into deeper debt. Republicans need to face reality and understand certain facts. Over 40% of the residents of my 15th Congressional District of Texas have no health insurance because it is simply unaffordable. They are the reason I voted last year for the Affordable Care Act.

While the opposition continues to try and take away one of the best laws of our country, they should realize that this Act puts Americans and small businesses back in charge of their health care choices. It makes coverage more affordable for everyone through private health insurance plans and holds insurance companies accountable.

I have heard too many stories of how health insurance companies have denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition or dropped someone’s coverage when they became ill. We’ve all seen how insurance companies hike up premiums arbitrarily and charge a healthy woman more than a male smoker. These practices have ended and now Republicans want Americans to take a backseat to greedy health insurance companies that hold this country’s citizens hostage in the struggle for affordable health care.

The time has come for Americans to be able to receive health care from their doctor and not be forced to get their health care needs at the most expensive point of service -- the emergency room. When that happens, as it has for years, it costs all of us more money and contributes to the high premiums that are forcing employers and families to drop coverage. We had to get a handle on out-of-control health care cost increases, and this bill will do that for all of us.

Two dozen community health centers in the 15th Congressional District of Texas are now receiving millions of dollars in new funding that will allow them to treat thousands of new patients.

Over a quarter of a million South Texans are now seeing improvements in their current health care coverage. Close to 30,000 South Texans with pre-existing conditions are able to obtain health coverage. Nearly 11,000 small businesses in South Texas are receiving tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable for their employees. Close to 200,000 South Texas families are now receiving tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable to them.

Over 90,000 Medicare beneficiaries will see better care and will pay less for prescription drugs because the Medicare Part D donut hole has been closed. The Affordable Health Care Act strengthens the Medicare Program by providing preventive medical check-ups for seniors. Our veterans can also rest assured that there are no changes to VA, DOD or TRICARE benefits.

Parents can now keep their adult children on their own health insurance plans until they reach the age of 26. This means at least 66,000 young South Texans will be able to have health insurance at a cost that does not over burden the family budget.

No bill is perfect and some changes still need to be made, particularly in Medicare and Medicaid funding for our border health providers, but the idea of a full repeal shows a lack of compassion and reasoning. Taking away all the good things, that even the Republicans agree are good things, to fix the problems with the hope that one day in the distance future we might be able to reinstate the benefits is just shortsighted and foolish. People need help now. Our fiscal situation needs help now. This bill was fully paid for. It will rein in soaring health care costs, and it will cut the deficit by $1.3 trillion over the next 20 years.

In the 111th Congress we did many things to help get our country back on track and pull us out of the economic debt we were left by the previous administration. Democrats worked to bring down our mounting national deficit and lower costs for small businesses. Democrats worked to create more jobs in our communities and we have increased health care access for millions of American families. Now, with a Republican majority, the 112th Congress is trying to send America back to the previous administration’s antics of spending with no real goal in mind, cutting for the sake of cutting with no regard for improving our position in a global, competitive world and pulling the rug out from under the middle class and the less privileged families who are working so hard in the United States of America.

Many of the most important and historical pieces of legislation that have passed through the halls of Congress were met with criticism. This Affordable Health Care bill was no different. The greatest accomplishments of our nation have not always been the most popular, but they’ve turned out to be our best. I have made reference to this before and I will say it again -- from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Social Security bill, to President Lyndon Johnson’s signing of the Civil Rights Act, historic measures have been met with resistance at first, but ultimately they prevailed. Thank God they did. One year later, passing the Affordable Health Care Act was still the best thing to do for the constituents of the 15th Congressional District of Texas and for all Americans. I know I did the “right thing” and I will fight to make sure the Affordable Care Act survives this onslaught.”

Rubén Hinojosa
U.S. Rep. Texas District 15