[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 172 (Thursday, December 5, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MEDICAID EXPANSION
(Ms. FUDGE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, prior to the passage of the Affordable Care
Act, 23 percent of Ohioans with incomes below 133 percent of the
Federal poverty level were uninsured. But thanks to the expansion of
Medicaid in my home State of Ohio, all of the almost 600,000 residents
who are uninsured with incomes below 138 percent of the Federal poverty
level will now have access to Medicaid coverage.
In my district alone, an additional 72,000 people became eligible for
Medicaid. And next Monday, December 9, all of these individuals will be
able to begin signing up for health care coverage that begins January
1. No longer will I receive calls from constituents like Brandon
Proctor, who was told that he was ``too rich for Medicaid but too poor
for subsidies.''
This is the way the Affordable Care Act was supposed to work.
Finally, all Ohioans will have access to quality and affordable health
care.
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