Pappas Applauds Passage of Legislation to Lower Costs of Health Care and Prescription Drugs

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) voted in favor of legislation that passed the House today that will lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs for Granite Staters.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act will enhance the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by making health care more affordable for working families, strengthening protections for those with pre-existing conditions, and lowering the cost of drugs for seniors.

"As Granite Staters continue to grapple with impacts of COVID-19 it is more important than ever that we work together to expand access to care and bring down the cost of prescription drugs, not gut existing protections," said Congressman Pappas. "This legislation takes critical steps to lower premiums, bring down the price of prescription drugs, and crack down on junk insurance plans that bankrupt families when they are most vulnerable. No Granite Stater should have to worry about their ability to access affordable care or prescription drugs, especially in the midst of a public health crisis, and today's vote gets us one step closer to us fully realizing that."

Today's vote comes days after the Trump Administration filed a brief asking the Supreme Court to strike down the entirety of the ACA. Should the law be overturned, 23 million Americans would lose their health coverage. Congressman Pappas has voted to allow the House of Representatives to defend the ACA and condemn the Department of Justice for refusing to defend the law. Additionally, Congressman Pappas has voted in favor of overturning the Trump Administration's attempts to undermine the law.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act will:

• Lowers health coverage costs by dramatically expanding the ACA's insurance affordability subsidies to cover more middle class families and to be more generous for those already receiving them.
• Lowers prescription drug prices by delivering the power to negotiate lower drug prices so that Americans no longer have to pay more for our medicines than Big Pharma changes for the same drugs overseas.
• Cracks down on junk plans & strengthens protections for Granite Staters with pre-existing conditions by reversing the Trump Administration's expansion of junk health insurance plans that do not provide coverage for essential medical treatments and drugs, and that are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing medical conditions.
• Expands more affordable coverage to vulnerable populations and fights the maternal mortality epidemic by requiring states to extend Medicaid or CHIP coverage to new mothers for a full year post-partum.

Last year, the House also passed H.R. 3, which makes historic reforms to drive down the costs of prescription drugs while expanding and strengthening Medicare. That package included a provision authored by Rep. Pappas - Advancing Enrollment and Reducing Drug Costs Act - which makes prescription drugs more accessible for low-income seniors.