Listen to this article

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th District, on Monday called for Congress to advance legislation to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and lower insurance premiums.

Pallone, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee said he is in the process of moving numerous bills through his committee that will reduce health care costs and increase outreach and enrollment funding for assistance in signing up for coverage.

“For the last two years, the Trump Administration has attempted to sabotage the ACA at every turn, jeopardizing coverage for millions of Americans and causing premiums to skyrocket,” said Pallone at the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Community Health Center in Asbury Park.

“We are working today to stand united against President Trump’s extreme policies, and to make health care more affordable and accessible. The bills being discussed in the Energy and Commerce Committee will strengthen our health care system, reduce costs for New Jerseyans and improve access to care,” Pallone said.

Among the bills Pallone is championing is the House Resolution 1425, the “State Health Care Premium Reduction Act,” which would provide $10 billion annually to states to establish a state reinsurance program or use the funds to provide financial assistance to reduce out-of-pocket costs for individuals enrolled in qualified health plans. The State of New Jersey also created its own reinsurance fund to help with out-of-pocket costs. Pallone’s bill would help the state’s efforts and the solvency of the program.

Pallone said he has been working to end the Trump Administration’s attempts to allow junk insurance plans and to remove protections for people with pre-existing conditions. House Resolution 986, the “Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act of 2019,” would require the Trump Administration to rescind its policy allowing taxpayer subsidies for junk plans and support for health plans that do not provide comprehensive coverage.

Other bills moving through the Energy and Commerce Committee that will help increase ACA enrollment, outreach and education include: House Resolution 987, marketing and outreach restoration to empower health education act of 2019 or the “MORE Health Education Act,” that will restore outreach and enrollment funding to assist consumers in signing up for health care and House Resolution 1386, expand navigators’ resources for outreach, learning, and longevity (ENROLL) Act of 2019, that would provide $100 million annually for the federally facilitated marketplace (FFM) navigator program.