(Lebanon, NH) – Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) joined healthcare providers, community leaders, and local residents at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon to discuss the negative impact that repealing the Affordable Care Act would have on healthcare services and communities throughout the Upper Valley. 

In New Hampshire, the Affordable Care Act has allowed 9,000 young adults to stay on their parent’s healthcare plans and the state’s uninsured rate has declined by 43 percent since the law was passed in 2010.  Additionally, Medicaid expansion has helped insure more than 50,000 Granite Staters, while increasing access to vital substance misuse and mental health services.

“I continue to be deeply troubled by the haphazard and reckless efforts of Republicans in Washington to repeal the Affordable Care Act without regard for the millions of Americans and thousands of Granite Staters who are relying on the ACA for their healthcare,” said Congresswoman Kuster.  “I’m one of the first to admit that the law isn’t perfect, and I’ve made it clear that I’m willing to work with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to make reforms.”

Kuster was joined at the listening session by dozens of local residents, as well as representatives from Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, West Central Behavioral Health, Headrest, and other medical providers.

“I want to thank Congresswoman Kuster for coming to Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital today to discuss the impact the Affordable Care Act has on rural community hospitals like ours,” said Sue Mooney, President and CEO of Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital. “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a complex and important law that deserves civil and thoughtful conversation about its future. Today Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital was pleased to  host a forum on this legislation which enabled Congresswoman Kuster to hear from health care stakeholders in the Upper Valley.”

Congresswoman Kuster has worked across the aisle to fix problems with the Affordable Care Act, and she shares her constituents’ concerns about many aspects of the law.  She is currently a cosponsor of legislation to repeal the medical device tax and the Cadillac Tax, as well as legislation to increase small businesses eligibility to access insurance through tax credits. 

Kuster voted in favor of the Pace Act, which was signed into law in 2015 and protects small and mid-size businesses from healthcare premium increases by giving states more control over small group market sizes.  She also supported the Keep Your Health Plan Act to allow people whose plans were being canceled due to ACA requirements to keep their plans for an additional year.  She also cosponsored the Small Business Tax Credit Accessibility Act, which will help small businesses provide their employees with health insurance by expanding affordability tax credits for small employers. Last month, Kuster joined 30 of her colleagues in a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, offering to be constructive partners in improving the law.  Residents from the Upper Valley joined the conversation to discuss Congressional efforts to repeal the ACA.

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