WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statement ahead of President Trump’s reported plan to announce on Monday a framework to extend the expiring tax cuts for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA):
“We are just weeks away from a massive surge in health insurance premiums that will hit millions of Americans. As I have said for weeks, the best way to keep people from losing their health insurance will be for leaders from both parties to come together and extend the expiring tax cuts that help people who buy insurance through healthcare.gov afford their premiums. This should have happened earlier, but President Trump and Congressional Republicans are now coming to the table.
“We need to learn more about what exactly the President is putting forward, and we must ensure that any proposal rejects the idea of repealing the Affordable Care Act and its protections, such as coverage for pre-existing conditions. While I have significant concerns about some of the ideas reportedly in the President’s proposal, it nonetheless represents a starting point for serious negotiations.
“The fact that President Trump is putting forward any offer at all to extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits shows that there is a broad understanding that inaction in this regard will cause serious harm to the American people. The Senate will vote on this issue next month and neither the President nor Congress should let pass the opportunity to prevent a health care calamity. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work in good faith to reach a deal and deliver relief to the American people.”
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