New Democrat Coalition introduces health care action plan amid subsidies fight

With just a handful of legislative days on the calendar before the new year, time is running out to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that will expire on Dec. 31.

The New Democrat Coalition, which represents 115 members of the House Democratic Caucus, made the health care crisis the main focus Wednesday as they introduced their Health Care Action Plan.

The seven-page plan focuses on affordability and transparency for consumers, including the extension of those subsidies that has become a major issue on Capitol Hill in recent weeks.

“We believe in strengthening Medicare, Medicaid and the ACA, because these programs are not partisan luxuries; they are lifelines for so many Americans,” said Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. during a press conference announcing the plan.

But with Democrats in the minority, an extension of the tax credits that 22 million Americans rely on is looking more unlikely.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities projects that “nearly all marketplace enrollees will face significantly higher premium costs, which will more than double on average,” with over 1.5 million potentially being priced out of the market altogether.

“Health care is not a privilege in this great country of privilege. It is a right, I believe,” said Sewell. “We are committed to defending that right against those who would undermine it. So today, we call on our colleagues across the aisle to join us. Let us put politics aside and put the needs of the American people first.”

The House Democratic leadership has been efforting a discharge petition to try and force a vote on extending the tax credits for three years, but so far it only has 214 Democratic signatures. Former Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., signed the petition before resigning late last month as she prepares to be sworn in as New Jersey’s next governor. House rules allow her signature to count toward the 218 votes needed to force the vote.

That means Democrats need four Republicans to join their effort, which appears to be a long shot as the legislative days wind down.

The New Democratic Coalition’s focus on affordability follows President Donald Trump calling affordability a “con job.”

“Affordability is a hoax that was started by Democrats who caused the problem of pricing,” accused Trump on Tuesday during a cabinet meeting.

Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, who chairs the New Dem Coalition, slammed the president as out of touch with Americans.

“A year ago, then President-elect Trump was talking about affordability. A month ago, he was saying it was the number one issue they need to focus on, and when the realization comes that what he’s been doing, his policies are making life more expensive, not less expensive, less affordable. He says, ‘okay, we won’t talk about it anymore,’” said Schneider. “Whether he talks about it or not, whether the data is released by the administration or not, the fact of the matter [is] working families in this country know that life is getting more expensive, and Democrats and New Dems [Coalition] understand that we have to address the challenges they face and make their life easier.”

• Print
• Email
• Tweet