[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 166 (Wednesday, November 20, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    AFFORDABLE CARE ACT CANCELATIONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Capps) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about the Affordable Care 
Act. The Affordable Care Act is working for many of my constituents on 
the central coast of California, like Danna in San Luis Obispo County, 
who tells me she will be saving 40 percent on her family's premiums. It 
is working for the Pacelas in Solvang, who tell me they now have better 
coverage while saving $8,000 a year on their premiums. It is working 
for the thousands of families whose young adult children can continue 
on their parents' plans, and for everyone who has a preexisting 
condition who now cannot be turned down for coverage.
  I know that this is not the case for all central coast residents, 
especially those who may have received cancelation notices this year, 
either because their insurer is only selling in the exchanges, or 
because the insurance companies have stopped offering plans in our area 
all together. Cancelation of these plans has caused real pain and 
confusion for our constituents in California who are faced with Covered 
California marketplace options that have different provider networks or 
different premium costs.
  After hearing numerous stories from the families I represent, it is 
clear we must address this problem with the implementation of the 
Affordable Care Act so we can protect all California families and 
businesses. The President has offered an administrative fix to this 
issue to allow insurance companies to offer plans to those already 
enrolled for the next year, but States will be the final 
decisionmakers.
  That is why I led a letter, with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and 22 of 
our California colleagues, to Covered California's leadership asking 
them to implement this administrative fix without delay.
  Covered California has led the way in bringing new, quality health 
care opportunities to millions of Californians. The Web site is 
working, and enrollment is steadily increasing. But with over 1 million 
Californians receiving cancelation notices of their current plans, we 
must and we will do more to ensure that no one is left without the 
opportunity for affordable coverage. These families were told that if 
they liked their plan they can keep it, and that is a promise we must 
keep for them.

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