Congressman Hoyer played a key role in the passage and enactment of the Affordable Care Act, which includes critical insurance reforms that put patients – not insurance companies – in control of their health care, while ensuring that the U.S. health care system continues to be the best in the world.
The Affordable Care Act is making a significant difference for Maryland families. Thanks to the law, up to 2.5 million Marylanders with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, cancer, or diabetes – including up to 320,000 children – no longer have to worry about being denied coverage or charged higher prices. Additionally, thousands of young adults in Maryland have gained health insurance because they can now stay on their parents’ health plans until age 26; and over 1.5 million Marylanders on private insurance have gained coverage for at least one free preventive health care service such as a mammogram, birth control, or an immunization. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the uninsured rate in Maryland is currently 6.1 percent, down from 12.9 percent in 2013. Through the Maryland Health Connection and our state’s expansion of Medicaid, over 400,000 Marylanders have enrolled in quality, affordable health care coverage.
Congressman Hoyer believes that Congress must continue to work to improve health care access and affordability and to strengthen the ACA and ensure all Americans can access affordable health coverage.
Congressman Hoyer is also a strong supporter of Social Security and Medicare, and has opposed efforts to privatize them. He is an advocate for ensuring their strength and long-term solvency and has fought to restore fiscal discipline to the federal government to ensure that these programs will be available for future generations. Congressman Hoyer has worked hard to strengthen the Medicare program and help ensure seniors can see their doctors. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Medicare costs – from premiums and deductibles to overall program spending – have slowed to well below the levels projected before the law passed.
Congressman Hoyer has also worked to improve and modernize the Social Security program by voting for investment in technology to enable the Social Security Administration to more efficiently process the increasing number of retirees and claims. He supported efforts to increase funding at Social Security to reduce the hearings backlog, prevent a backlog recurrence, and improve the speed and quality of services for retirees.
I'm pleased that Owensville Primary Care and Greater Baden Medical Services will receive this funding to help Fifth District residents get the local health care they need.
Today I met with President Chrencki and leadership from the University of Maryland Medical System to receive updates on their federal activities and to discuss the concerns of their member hospitals.
I'm pleased that our region will be receiving this funding through HIDTA to help communities deal with the challenge of heroin trafficking in our state. We need to muster all available resources at the federal, state, and local levels to address this growing epidemic in our state, especially in the Fifth District where we have seen a dramatic increase in the use of heroin as well as deaths related to overdose.
I'm pleased to celebrate 50 years of Medicare, which has provided guaranteed health insurance for millions of seniors and enabled them to rest more easily in their golden years.
Today's announcement that Noridian Healthcare Solutions LLC will have to repay Maryland $45 million for the role it played in the failed launch of Maryland's health insurance marketplace during the first enrollment period in 2013 is a first step in the right direction.
I was honored to visit with homeowners and volunteers as repairs were made to Fifth District homes today that will assist homeowners and strengthen neighborhoods and communities.
Five years ago today, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, opening the door to quality, affordable healthcare for thousands of Marylanders.
The House Republican budget resolution unveiled this morning is more of the same extreme policies that disinvest in our nation while placing the burden of deficit reduction on seniors, children, the middle class, and the most vulnerable.