WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander M. Levin (D-MI) issued the following remarks after attending the ceremony where H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama:
“Today, in the greatest of American traditions - opportunity and community - we enacted law that will improve the overall health of our citizens and the overall well-being of our nation. This legislation was the product of generations of hard work, driven by the personal stories of so many who have suffered from a lack of health insurance and the devastation of rising health care costs.
“The enactment of this legislation is certainly a victory, but more work remains as the Senate considers critical legislation passed by the House to further strengthen our health care system.
“Few, if any, issues before this Congress are as personal, or as critical to our nation’s future as health care reform. President Obama was right - leadership is not always tidy or easy, especially on complex issues - but this reform effort does help advance the dreams of all Americans and put our nation on a path toward greater prosperity and growth. I applaud President Obama for his leadership and will continue fighting to ensure the legislation currently before the U.S. Senate moves forward and becomes law."
Immediate benefits enacted under H.R. 3590:
* Four million small businessmen and women will receive tax credits helping them cover the cost of health insurance for their employees
* Tens of thousands of uninsured Americans with preexisting conditions will be able to purchase the coverage they need.
* Insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people from coverage when they get sick.
* Insurance companies can no longer place lifetime or annual limits on the amount of care people receive on new plans.
* All new insurance plans will be required to offer free preventive care.
* Young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ policies until they are 26 years old.
* Millions of seniors who fall into the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ will receive $250 to help pay for the medicine they need, reducing their out-of-pocket costs.
