On Its 4th Anniversary, Cohen Emphasizes Affordable Care Act's Many Benefits for Memphians

[MEMPHIS, TN] – On the 4^th anniversary of President Obama signing the Affordable Care Act into law, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today highlighted the many ways that the law is already benefiting Memphians and urged uninsured citizens to enroll before March 31^st. The President’s Affordable Care Act, signed into law on March 23^rd, 2010, ensures that no American can be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, prevents insurers from charging more solely because someone is a woman, protects families from health-related bankruptcy, and provides access to free preventive care services for our seniors.

“Four years ago, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law and Memphians are seeing the benefits,” said Congressman Cohen. “From giving uninsured citizens access to high-quality, affordable health coverage to making sure insurance companies can no longer discriminate against women or those with pre-existing conditions and from saving our seniors money on their prescriptions to extending family coverage to young adults, the Affordable Care Act is helping Memphians every day. I hope Republicans realize that their continued efforts to repeal the law will only end up taking these benefits away and hurt hardworking Memphis families.”

The open season deadline to enroll in health coverage for this year is March 31st—just 10 days away. To bring attention to this deadline and highlight the need for uninsured Memphians to enroll in coverage promptly, Congressman Cohen hosted a meeting on Friday morning with community leaders to discuss what can be done to reduce the racial disparity in breast cancer outcomes and survivorship among Memphis women, how these leaders can help their communities get covered, and address any questions they may have had about the law’s implementation.

In Tennessee, some of the Affordable Care Act’s benefits include:

• 1,413,000 individuals on private insurance have gained coverage for at least one free preventive health care service such as a mammogram, birth control, or an immunization in 2011 and 2012. In the first eleven months of 2013 alone, an additional 584,400 people with Medicare have received at least one preventive service at no out of pocket cost.
• The up to 2,765,000 individuals with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, cancer, or diabetes – including up to 353,000 children – will no longer have to worry about being denied coverage or charged higher prices because of their health status or history.
• Approximately 1,208,000 Tennesseans have gained expanded mental health and substance use disorder benefits and/or federal parity protections.
• 889,000 uninsured Tennesseans will have new health insurance options through Medicaid or private health plans in the Marketplace.
• As a result of new policies that make sure premium dollars work for the consumer, not just the insurer, in the past year insurance companies have sent rebates averaging $69 per family to approximately 131,800 consumers.
• In the first ten months of 2013, 74,100 seniors and people with disabilities have saved on average $768 on prescription medications as the health care law closes Medicare’s so-called “donut hole.”
• 59,000 young adults in Tennessee have gained health insurance because they can now stay on their parents’ health plans until age 26.
• Tennesseans no longer have to worry about having their health benefits cut off after they reach a lifetime or annual limit on benefits.
• Health centers have received $108,059,000 to provide primary care, establish new sites, and renovate existing centers to expand access to quality health care. Tennessee has approximately 190 health center sites, which served about 384,000 individuals in 2012.