Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2021

June 17, 2021

The Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land. Today's U.S. Supreme Court decision is a major victory for all Americans benefiting from this groundbreaking and life-changing law. It is a victory for more than 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions and millions more who were in immediate danger of losing their health care in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic.

It is a victory for every American who, prior to the Affordable Care Act, stayed up at night staring at the ceiling, wondering whether they would lose everything if they or a loved one got sick. Because of this law, they don't have to worry about being denied coverage due to a preexisting condition like diabetes or watching their coverage being capped during a cancer treatment. Because of the law, they are able to get free preventive screenings that can save their lives and improve their health. Today's victory is also for all the young people who can stay on their parent's insurance plan until they turn 26 years old and for the millions of low-income families and people with disabilities receiving health care because their States expanded Medicaid under this law.

After more than a decade of attacks on the Affordable Care Act through the Congress and the courts, today's decisionâthe third major challenge to the law that the U.S. Supreme Court has rejectedâit is time move forward and keep building on this landmark law.

That is what we are doing thanks to the American Rescue Plan, which has lowered health care costs and expanded coverage for millions of Americans through the Affordable Care Act. More than 1.2 million Americans signed up for coverage under the law through a special enrollment period I established during this pandemic, which people can still sign up for through August 15. And I look forward to working with the Congress to build on this law so that the American people will continue to have access to quality and affordable health care.

Today's decision affirms that the Affordable Care Act is stronger than ever, delivers for the American people, and gets us closer to fulfilling our moral obligation to ensure that, here in America, health care is a right and not a privilege.

Categories: Statements by the President : Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding.

Subjects: Diseases : Cancer research, prevention, and treatment; Diseases : Coronavirus, domestic prevention efforts; Economy, national : Strengthening efforts; Health and medical care : Affordability and costs; Health and medical care : Health insurance, protection of coverage; Health and medical care : Medicare and Medicaid; Health and medical care : Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Judiciary : Judicial review.

DCPD Number: DCPD202100516.

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