The Gazette: “ACA Anniversary Highlights Iowa Health Care Cost Fears”

Yesterday Iowa Leaders Called Out Republicans in Congress for Raising Health Care Costs on the Anniversary of the ACA

State Rep. Larry McBurney: “Talking About Affordability […] We Know One of the Biggest Drivers of [Financial] Pressure is Rising Health Care Costs”

DES MOINES – Yesterday, Iowa leaders frustrated with soaring health care costs spoke out against Ashley Hinson, Randy Feenstra, Marianette Miller-Meeks, and Zach Nunn for ripping away health care from thousands of Iowans.

The Gazette: ACA Anniversary Highlights Iowa Health Care Cost Fears

• Iowa Democrats, health care advocates and Affordable Care Act enrollees Monday marked the law’s 16th anniversary by warning that rising costs and coverage losses are putting renewed strain on families after the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits tied to the federal marketplace.

• “My family went without health insurance for a short period of time, and that was a really scary time for us,” Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart said. “That’s why it’s absolutely unacceptable that Iowa Republicans Randy Feenstra, Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn continue to work to dismantle the ACA and make it harder for Iowans to receive health insurance.”

• Rachel Burns, a speech-language pathologist, small business owner and Affordable Care Act enrollee, described the real-world impact of rising costs on patients and providers.

• “What I’m seeing as a volunteer EMT is already very scary,” Burns said. “People are afraid to allow for ambulance transport because they can’t afford it. People are afraid they’re losing their insurance or their benefits aren’t strong enough. They cannot continue to be put into medical debt over getting sick and injured.”

• Burns said the ACA has allowed her family to pursue self-employment while maintaining coverage, but warned that gaps in affordability are pushing more Iowans toward medical debt.

• She added that access to preventive care — a key component of the law — helps reduce long-term costs but is at risk when coverage becomes unaffordable.

• State Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, highlighted long-standing provisions of the ACA, including protections for preexisting conditions, coverage for young adults up to age 26 and Medicaid expansion in Iowa.

• In January, the U.S. House passed a measure to extend those subsidies, but Iowa’s delegation split on the vote. U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson and Randy Feenstra opposed the extension while Rep. Zach Nunn joined Democrats in supporting it. The measure died in the Senate.

• Health advocates have warned that the expiration is already leading to higher premiums and fewer insured Iowans, particularly in rural areas where marketplace coverage plays a larger role.

• Roughly 117,000 Iowans rely on premium tax credits to afford coverage, according to health policy data cited in federal analyses.

KCRG:

• Reporter: “A survey from the nonpartisan health research organization, KFF, found 10% of marketplace enrollees have dropped their coverage after [enhanced ACA] subsidies expired. And 80% who kept their insurance say their costs have gone up this year.”

• Rep. Larry McBurney: “Talking about affordability, what we really know is that Iowa families are being squeezed from every direction and we know people are working hard – doing everything right – and they’re still falling behind. We know one of the biggest drivers of that pressure is rising health care costs.”

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