Norton ‘Affordable Care Act Town Hall’ on Thursday to Focus on How ACA Repeal Will Hurt Residents with Workplace Insurance as Well as Residents on the Exchanges

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will host a town hall on protecting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) from Republican attacks in Congress and to hear from District of Columbia residents who have benefitted from the ACA, including those with employer-provided insurance, seniors, women, and Medicaid enrollees, on Thursday, February 23, 2017, at a location to be determined. Democrats are hosting ACA town halls across the country to raise awareness about the effects of repealing the ACA on health insurance for all Americans. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more than 96 percent of D.C. residents now have health insurance, and only three states have lower rates of uninsured residents than the District.

"Too little attention is being paid to the shattering consequences that the repeal of the Affordable Care Act will have not only on the 51,000 D.C. residents who have gained health care insurance since the ACA was implemented, but also on all D.C. residents, regardless of the source of their health care," Norton said. "Almost no attention has been given to the disruptive effect on the U.S. economy itself. Health care spending makes up one sixth of nation's economy, jeopardizing economic stability unless done with great care."

Norton listed the comprehensive consequences of repealing the ACA on health care for all D.C. residents.

• The 106,000 D.C. residents who have pre-existing health conditions would be at risk of having their coverage rescinded, being denied coverage, or being charged significantly more for coverage.
• Women who can now purchase insurance for the same price as men would be at risk of being charged more for insurance. Before the ACA, women paid up to 32% more than men for their health insurance.
• 281,235 D.C. residents who now have private health insurance that covers preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles stand to lose this access if the ACA provisions requiring health insurers to cover important preventive services without cost-sharing are eliminated.
• 46,684 D.C. seniors who have received preventive care services without cost thanks to ACA provisions requiring coverage of annual wellness visits and eliminating cost-sharing for many recommended preventive services covered by Medicare Part B, such as cancer screenings, would be at risk of losing access to these services.
• Individuals who are 26 and under would no longer be able to stay on their parents' health care plans.
• D.C. would be at risk of losing $464 million in federal Medicaid dollars if the Medicaid expansion was eliminated.