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.
WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the America's Affordable Health Choices Act, the third committee to do so this month:________________________________________________________________________
The rising cost of health care is one of the biggest drags on our economy, and small businesses and middle-class families are struggling to keep their heads above water. That is why Democrats want to enact health reform to reduce the burden of ballooning health care costs on American families, businesses and our fiscal future.________________________________________________________________________
WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined Reps. Ed Perlmutter (CO) and Marcia L. Fudge (OH), and families who are at risk of being or who have been denied health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition at a press conference today, calling for health reform that ends discrimination based on a person's health status. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:________________________________________________________________________
WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today on the House Tri-Committee's introduction of America's Affordable Health Choices Act:________________________________________________________________________
WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined House Democratic Leaders and a group of Americans impacted by our current health care system for a press conference on the need for health care reform. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:________________________________________________________________________
College Park, MD - Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) delivered remarks commemorating the 43rd Anniversary of Medicare, which was yesterday, July 1. Medicare is a landmark initiative that has provided affordable health care for millions of Americans.
College Park, MD - Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) delivered remarks commemorating the 43rd Anniversary of Medicare, which was yesterday, July 1. Medicare is a landmark initiative that has provided affordable health care for millions of Americans.________________________________________________________________________
During the meeting, Rep. Hoyer listened to numerous personal stories, took questions and asked citizens to join him in supporting national efforts to enact comprehensive health care reform this year...________________________________________________________________________
WASHINGTON, DC - Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (Md.) released the following statement today on Covered the Uninsured Week (March 22-28), a weeklong effort to foster conversation about reforming the nation's health care system and making affordable health insurance available to the 45 million currently uninsured Americans.________________________________________________________________________