[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 177 (Wednesday, November 1, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8305-H8306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SIGN UP FOR HEALTHCARE NOW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, today is the last day of baseball, but, more 
importantly, it is the first day of open enrollment for the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act.
  This year, enrollment only runs from November 1, today, through 
December 15. This is half the length of last year when open enrollment 
extended until January 30. It is 6 weeks shorter, so to sign up, get 
started today. You only have 45 days to do it. This is something the 
Trump administration is doing to

[[Page H8306]]

make it more difficult and less likely people will sign up.
  Don't let them do this. Sign up for your healthcare. During this 
shortened enrollment period, there will also be 12-hour periods of 
scheduled maintenance when the website will be inaccessible. These 
periods will occur every Sunday morning, except one, during the open 
enrollment period. December 15 is the last chance for individuals to 
sign up for health insurance for 2018, unless you have a major event 
like getting married, having a child, or moving.
  In previous years, individuals were notified of autoenrollment with 
time to change their choice. This year, that happens on December 16, a 
day after open enrollment ends, so there is no reason to do it. It just 
tells you what you have got, and you don't have the opportunity to 
change. So individuals should not rely on autoenrollment. They should 
use healthcare.gov to find the best plan for them and their families.
  In many cases, there are affordable plans. In 2018, in Tennessee, 88 
percent can find a bronze plan for under $75.

                              {time}  1115

  In Memphis, many consumers earning $30,000 to $48,000 a year can find 
silver plans for under $100. This is particularly true for those in 
their late forties to age 64.
  You may qualify for premiums and cost-sharing reductions like in past 
years. In 2016, 88 percent of Tennesseans on the exchanges received 
premium assistance, and 58 percent received cost-sharing reduction 
subsidies.
  This is still true even as the President attempts to sabotage the 
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
  Marketing funding and funds for navigators to help people through the 
process have both been slashed. In spite of that fact, we are going to 
try to find some navigators still around and have a townhall in Memphis 
possibly Saturday, November 11. We are still in the process of 
scheduling that, but we want all of our people to get that chance. So 
we encourage all Americans to get that chance.
  Cost-sharing reduction subsidies will be available for individuals 
who qualify for silver plans despite Trump's decision to stop the 
government from reimbursing insurers.
  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is the law of the 
land. All current efforts to repeal and replace have failed because 
they have not come up with a better plan. Healthcare is difficult, and 
we came up with a plan that needs some tweaking but not repealing.
  Memphis has recently seen a decrease in the disparity of breast 
cancer mortality rates between Black and White women, a clear 
indication that access to affordable care saves lives.
  Memphis has done excellent work at expanding access to screenings and 
coverage. In addition to local efforts, the Affordable Care Act has 
helped to reduce or even eliminate copayments that women have to pay 
for preventive screenings, including mammograms.
  Access to affordable healthcare has saved lives in Memphis and 
throughout this country. The open enrollment for the Affordable Care 
Act starts today and runs through December 15. Avail yourselves of 
those opportunities.

                          ____________________