[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 130 (Thursday, September 11, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1392-E1393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE PROTECTION ACT OF 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 10, 2014

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 
3522, the Employee Health Care Protection Act of 2014, a bill that 
sponsors say will permit a health insurance issuer that sold insurance 
coverage to employers who are mandated under the Affordable Care Act to 
provide insurance to their employees in 2013 to continue offering the 
same insurance in 2014.
  I oppose H.R. 3522 for three reasons:
  It does not obligate employers to provide insurance coverage for the 
essential health care services enumerated in the Affordable Care Act 
(ACA).
  Provisions of the ACA that prevent discrimination based on age, pre-
existing conditions and gender are not part of the plans allowed under 
this bill.
  Finally, the bill is opposed by the Administration and will not 
become law.

[[Page E1393]]

  The ACA limits the ability of insurers in the small group market to 
charge higher premiums based on age, preexisting health conditions and 
gender.
  The H.R. 3522 creates exceptions to these important protections in 
the ACA for the next five years.
  In addition, this bill allows insurers to charge small businesses 
higher insurance rates for coverage based on the age, gender and health 
status of their employees, which is prohibited by the ACA.
  This will make working for small employers less attractive to 
workers, which can make the cost of labor higher as employers are 
forced to offer higher pay to attract workers while simultaneously 
paying higher rates for insurance.
  H.R. 3522, will continue unnecessary uncertainty regarding the year-
to-year cost of providing ACA mandated healthcare coverage to employees 
should a major health event occur or accident impact the health care 
cost of an employee.
  The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 3522 because it threatens 
the health care security of hard working, middle class families.
  Today, the nation is experiencing the lowest rate of health care 
price inflation in nearly 50 years.
  We are also seeing a very slow growth in other measures of health 
costs, which have combined to dramatically slow the growth of small 
business premiums.
  While health care costs are rising at low rates and choices for small 
businesses are improving through the Health Insurance Marketplace, this 
bill would be a major setback.
  The Administration's transition program for non-ACA compliant plans 
to ACA compliant health insurance plans allows States to work to make 
sure that health plans remain affordable and compliant with the ACA.
  We should make sure insurance plans offered to millions of small 
business workers do not reverse the progress made to extend quality, 
affordable coverage to millions of uninsured, hardworking, middle class 
families.
  Before the ACA, ill people could only obtain high premium insurance 
that did not provide coverage for a pre-existing illness or medical 
condition.
  Insurance companies could use annual caps on coverage that resulted 
in very high out-of-pocket costs to people who were paying for health 
insurance, but had no coverage for a medical condition.
  The ACA brought relief to those with health insurance, those with 
pre-existing health conditions and the working poor where the Medicaid 
expansion was implemented.
  Because of the health care law, for the first time, insurance 
companies in the individual and small group market are required to 
cover ten essentials, which include:
  Outpatient care;
  Emergency room visits;
  Treatment in the hospital for inpatient care;
  Care before and after child births;
  Mental health and substance use disorder services: behavioral health 
treatment, counseling, and psychotherapy;
  Prescription drugs;
  Services and devices to promote recovery from injuries, disabilities 
or chronic condition: physical and occupational therapy, speech-
language pathology, psychiatric rehabilitation, and much more;
  Lab tests;
  Preventive services such as counseling, screenings, and vaccines; and
  Pediatric services that cover dental care and vision care for kids.
  The Affordable Care Act is one of the largest expansions of general 
healthcare, mental health and substance abuse disorder coverage in a 
generation.


                        The Affordable Care Act

  13 million Americans received $1.1 billion in rebates from their 
health insurance companies last year.
  105 million Americans have free preventive services.
  Millions of women now have free coverage for comprehensive women's 
preventive medical services.
  100 million Americans no longer have a life-time limit on healthcare 
coverage.
  17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be 
denied coverage by insurers.
  6.6 million young-adults up to age 26 can stay on their parents' 
health insurance plans.
  6.3 million Seniors in the ``donut hole'' have saved $6.1 billion on 
their prescription drugs.
  3.2 million Seniors have access to free annual wellness visits under 
Medicare, and
  360,000 Small Businesses are using the Health Care Tax Credit to help 
them provide health insurance to their workers.


            Statistics on Texas and the Affordable Care Act

  3.8 million Texas residents receive preventative care services.
  7 million Texans no longer have lifetime limits on their healthcare 
insurance.
  300,731 young adults can remain on their parents' health insurance 
until age 26.
  5 million Texas residents can receive a rebate check from their 
insurance company if it does not spend 80 percent of premium dollars on 
healthcare.
  4,029 people with pre-existing conditions now have health insurance.
  In 2014, insurance companies will be banned from: discriminating 
against anyone with a preexisting condition, charging higher rates 
based on gender or health status, enforcing lifetime dollar limits, 
enforcing annual dollar limits on health benefits.
  Attempts to weaken or end the ACA are wrong. The unwillingness of the 
majority to make sure that those in our society with the greatest need 
health care coverage, but do not have the financial means to be denied 
access to healthcare are doing the nation a disservice.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 3522.

                          ____________________