Washington, D.C. — The Affordable Care Act, or ACA, is delivering on its promise of quality, affordable coverage for millions of Americans. As attention turns to next year’s marketplace premiums, a new report released by the Center for American Progress puts these premiums into context and warns that efforts by conservatives to undermine or repeal the law will result in even greater premium increases and less protection for Americans.
“Prior to the ACA, health care coverage in the individual market was increasingly becoming more expensive and unreliable,” said Tony Carrk, CAP Senior Health Advisor. “The ACA has helped lower the rate of health care cost increases and is protecting Americans from being one illness away from losing everything. Though conservatives continue their efforts to undermine the law, the facts are simply not on their side.”
Before implementation of the ACA, premiums in the individual market increased 15 percent. Now—though premiums will vary by, and even within, states—projections show only a modest average premium increase for next year. The law’s financial assistance—85 percent of people in the marketplaces are receiving premium tax credits—and other consumer provisions in the law will lessen the impact of premium increases on consumers. A repeal of these protections would only exacerbate premium increases and would leave many Americans out of the health care marketplace altogether.
Click here to read the report.
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