Media Release: Statement About Congressional Approval of American Rescue Plan

Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative Statement About Congressional Approval of American Rescue Plan
Measure Strengthens the Affordable Care Act

“Congress has taken bold action to help the country recover from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan includes major provisions to make health insurance more affordable to many Americans. It is vitally important to help people be able to enroll in good health coverage and we congratulate Congress for acting decisively to improve our health care system. Having health insurance will provide peace of mind and ensure that more people across Maryland and the nation will be able to get the health care they need.  When signed into law later this week by President Joe Biden, this will be the first major improvement at the federal level of the Affordable Care Act since its enactment in 2010.

“We applaud President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for their leadership on protecting and building on the Affordable Care act as well as our senators, Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and the other Democratic representatives from Maryland, who all voted for the American Rescue Plan.

“Now that Congress has acted, we will continue our work in Maryland to expand access to affordable, high-quality health care across the state. Among the measures we are working to enact in the Maryland General Assembly is SB 729/HB 780 sponsored by Senator Brian Feldman and Delegate Ken Kerr which would create additional Maryland subsidies for lower income young adults to help them afford health care coverage. The more Marylanders have health care coverage the better it is for all of us by reducing uncompensated hospital care which keeps premiums high for all of us.”