[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 20, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1843-S1844]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             HEALTH REFORM

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, during this second anniversary of the 
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, I wish to discuss some of 
the benefits this law has already brought to consumers.
  Millions of Americans nationwide and in California have already 
benefited from this law. For the first time, insurance companies are 
held accountable they cannot drop coverage just because someone gets 
sick, they cannot deny coverage because of a preexisting condition, and 
they cannot impose limits on the amount of care provided in a lifetime.
  This law helps women, children, young adults, seniors, families, and 
individuals living with disabilities and chronic medical conditions.
  In California, because of the law, over 12 million people no longer 
have a lifetime limit on their health insurance plan. This includes 
almost 4.5 million women and 3.26 million children.
  Now, individuals and families with medical expenses do not have to 
worry that they will reach a point where insurance will no longer 
provide coverage. Eliminating lifetime caps on coverage and phasing out 
annual caps will reassure Californians that their health coverage will 
be there when they need it.
  The health reform law is taking great strides to ensure affordable 
prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.
  Before health reform, Medicare beneficiaries were faced with a 
prescription drug coverage gap that was unaffordable for many. This so-
called doughnut hole forced beneficiaries to pay 100 percent of their 
drug costs after they exceeded an initial coverage limit. As many as 
one in four seniors went without a prescription every year because they 
simply could not afford it.
  Now, the law is closing this coverage gap, and already, an estimated 
320,000 Medicare beneficiaries in California have saved almost $172 
million on prescription drugs.
  Under the health reform law, insurance companies are already banned 
from denying coverage to children because of a preexisting condition, 
such as a heart defect, autism, or juvenile diabetes.
  Parents no longer have to spend away college funds to cover children 
with medical conditions.
  Beginning in 2014, health insurers are prohibited from denying anyone 
health insurance coverage because of a preexisting medical condition. 
This means that being pregnant can no longer be considered a 
preexisting condition. It means that individuals will no longer be 
prevented from purchasing affordable insurance simply because they had 
an accident, are sick, or got cancer.
  Under the law, insurance companies have to pay more of the premium 
dollars they collect on actual medical care, not on profits.
  In California, because of this provision, almost 9 million people are 
getting better value for their premium dollars. Furthermore, California 
has received over $5 million in grants from the law to fight 
unreasonable premium increases and to bolster scrutiny of rates.
  Because of the health reform law, young adults can now stay on their 
family insurance plan up to age 26. Previously, insurance companies 
could drop coverage for young adults, many times at age 19. Now the law 
makes it easier and more affordable for young adults to get health 
insurance.
  Already over 350,000 young adults in California have benefited from 
this provision.
  This law takes great strides to equalize insurance coverage for women 
and

[[Page S1844]]

to rid the system of discriminatory practices based on gender.
  The practice of ``gender-rating,'' or charging more for insurance 
simply because of gender, is outlawed in the health reform law. This 
means that women can no longer be charged higher premiums.
  Over a recent 3-year period, 7.3 million women 38 percent of women 
who tried to buy coverage on the individual market were either rejected 
altogether, charged a higher premium, or sold policies that excluded 
certain benefit coverage because of a ``preexisting condition'' like 
cancer or having been pregnant.
  Now, women will be guaranteed coverage at a similar rate to men.
  Already, almost 2.3 million Californian women with private insurance 
have access to no-cost preventive services because of the law. This 
includes necessary cancer screenings, such as mammograms, annual 
wellness exams, and contraception.
  Additionally, over 1.6 million women in California who are on 
Medicare now have access to free preventive services because of the 
law.
  These are just a few critical consumer protections that are now in 
play because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed 
into law 2 years ago.
  We have a long ways to go to improve our health care system and to 
ensure affordable quality care for all Americans, but these essential 
consumer protections take great strides to get us there.

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