WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) gave the following statement at the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing on the challenges of the Affordable Care Act.

Remarks as prepared

“Welcome to all of our witnesses and especially to my fellow Washingtonian, Commissioner Kreidler.

“As we look at the progress of the Affordable Care Act, I’d like us to remember how we got here. With the way we talk about the ACA, one might wonder why we’d ever abandon our old system in the first place. I’ll tell you why: it was unhealthy, unfair, and unsustainable.

“Health costs—one of the largest contributing factors to our national debt—were out of control. People were going bankrupt. The cost of providing care to the uninsured added an extra $1,000 a year to each family’s household bills – through higher taxes, premiums, and health care costs. Coverage was dropped when customers needed it most and all over the country those with pre-existing conditions were helpless.

“So let’s keep these conditions in mind as we discuss our progress. It wasn’t Democrats that wanted a better system, it was America.

“Are we, as a society, better off now? Yes. We’ve made huge improvements to our system. It hasn’t been perfect, and I’m sure we’ll hear some upsetting charges today from our witnesses—though, from what I’ve read, many of their assertions are unreliable, if not untrue.  Even with ‘glitches,’ ACA reforms are making the insurance industry more accessible, fair, and cost efficient than ever before.

“Looking at our progress, I’m less concerned about websites than the reality that we are creating two separate Americas. While one half of our country moves ahead with affordable health insurance, the other half is being left behind. Places like Indiana, Georgia, and Florida have chosen not to expand Medicaid, leaving hundreds of thousands of the nation’s most vulnerable uninsured with no help available. Texas has over 1,000,000 people that could be insured at no cost to the state, if its governor chose to expand Medicaid. Instead, Texans who need it the most—the working poor, families on minimum wage, and veterans trying to get back on their feet—get nothing.

“It’s hard to imagine a reason for this other than simple spite. It’s cruel and fiscally irresponsible. Hospitals in these states will lose billions of dollars in revenue as they provide more uncompensated care. Instead of accepting about half a billion federal dollars, Mississippi has transferred $4.4 million from its state budget, including education funding, to pay hospitals for treating the uninsured.

“Some hospitals have had to close facilities and service lines. Jobs are on the line. Money that could be spent on improving lives will go toward medical bills.

“And if that wasn’t enough, Republicans are urging constituents to turn down affordable health care. Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit arguing that Oklahomans are not entitled to tax credits through the exchange. Tennessee, among others, is trying to create penalties to make it as hard as possible for churches and non-profits to help people sign up. A Good Samaritan, even a friend or neighbor, caught ‘facilitating enrollment’ without being vetted, fingerprinted, and registered with the state, could be fined $1,000, far each offense.

“All to make this President look bad.

“Fortunately, today we have an unbiased witness who is actually making this all work. Commissioner Kreidler can speak directly to what happens when a state cares about its people.  He has actual experience on the front lines of implementation.

“Washington State has reached nearly 175,000 enrollments through our state exchange, and those numbers are growing every day. Our exchange is robust and, with the exception of a few issues, has run pretty smoothly.

“I had a constituent call my office irate that his insurance company had cancelled his plan and offered a new one for double the cost. The next day he called back—he went to the exchange and found a better plan with his old insurance company, for less than he was paying before.

“As the home of companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks, Washington State knows about launching big projects. The Boeing 787 wasn’t built in a day. Success doesn’t come without bumps. It takes commitment. It takes investment and patience. If Bill Gates had stopped at the first hiccup, where would personal computers be today?

“We knew this wouldn’t be easy, but it’s worth it. This is the reform America wants and needs.”

###