Rep. Rouda Votes to Pass Patient Protection & Affordable Care Enhancement Act

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Harley Rouda (CA-48) voted to pass H.R.1425, the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Enhancement Act. This bill would strengthen the Affordable Care Act to lower health care costs and prescription drug prices.

"Even before the coronavirus crisis, Orange County families were struggling to afford health care costs," said Rouda. "This legislation lowers prescription drug prices, expands coverage, and strengthens protections for people with pre-existing conditions. H.R. 1425 is a common-sense and critical bill to help working families stay healthy during the global pandemic."

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H.R. 1425, the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Enhancement Act would:

Negotiate for lower prescription drug prices, so that Americans no longer have to pay more for our medicines than Big Pharma charges for the same drugs overseas.

Expand coverage, pressing Medicaid expansion hold-out states while restoring the outreach and advertising funding that the Trump Administration has slashed to prevent Americans from learning about the affordable health coverage available to them under the ACA.

Combat inequity in health coverage faced by communities of color, expanding more affordable coverage to vulnerable populations and fighting the maternal mortality epidemic by requiring states to extend Medicaid or CHIP coverage to new mothers for a full year post-partum.

Crack down on junk plans & strengthen protections for people with pre-existing conditions, reversing the Trump Administration's expansion of junk health insurance plans that do not provide coverage for essential medical treatments and drugs and that are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing medical conditions. 

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