Health Care Reform: Our View

We believe that basic health insurance must be accessible, affordable and adequate for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or income level.

That is why the American Heart Association joined several other patient groups last week to express our concerns with the American Health Care Act (AHCA) recently proposed by some Members of Congress. While improvements can certainly be made to the current law, we strongly oppose this bill in its current form. It is simply not the right answer for heart and stroke patients.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan government agency that provides objective, nonpartisan analysis of proposed legislation for Members of Congress, this bill would leave 14 million more people without insurance in 2018. This estimate is projected to increase to 24 million by 2026! That’s a startling picture, and a very scary one for a nation tackling the increasing burden of heart disease and stroke.

Patients without insurance cannot access the care they need to properly manage their conditions, and face far worse outcomes than those with insurance. That is why our core principles remain ensuring affordable, accessible, and adequate health care coverage for all Americans.

Patient protections achieved under the Affordable Care Act must be preserved, including ensuring coverage is available to those with pre-existing conditions and those who rely on Medicaid. Heart disease and stroke patients are counting on us to stand firm on our principles. We will continue to do just that.

Ask you Members of Congress to Vote NO on the American Health Care Act. We’re counting on them, too.

UPDATE - On March 24th, the Speaker of the House pulled the bill from consideration. Thank you so much for making your voice heard on this issue!