A Year After the ACA, State Legislature Holds the Key to Lower Costs

TexPIRG

Austin – Statement of TexPIRG Field Associate Emily Slatter on the one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, the new federal health care law, and the impact and potential it holds for Texas consumers and small businesses.

“A year after the passage of the new federal health care law, fierce political debate continues, but here in Texas, provisions of the law are beginning to help consumers and businesses. Small business are claiming tax credits to help them cope with the rising cost of coverage, and families won’t see their adult children kicked off the family health insurance plan just because they graduate from college or turn 21.

“But more action is still needed to rein in the rising costs of health care. The Texas legislature

should establish a strong new health insurance marketplace where small businesses, the self-employed, and individual consumers can pool their bargaining power and make insurers compete for their business.

“The legislature must stand firm against efforts by the insurance industry to weaken the exchange, by denying it the ability to negotiate for lower prices with insurers.

“With the new law, we’ve made a start towards addressing our health care problems. What happens next depends on whether our own state legislators stand up for consumers or for the special interests.”