You can watch Rep. Kuster speak about the importance of improving our healthcare system on the House Floor HERE

**Legislation includes Kuster provision to protect people with pre-existing conditions**

Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) joined her House Democratic colleagues to introduce the Protecting Pre-Existing Conditions & Making Health Care More Affordable Act of 2019, legislation aimed at stabilizing the Affordable Care Act. The legislation will improve the affordability of healthcare by expanding tax credits and subsidies and funding a reinsurance program. It will also safeguard protections for people with pre-existing conditions, as well as encourage states to innovate and increase transparency efforts. The legislation includes a provision advocated for by Kuster to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions by preventing the promotion of junk health plans, which often lack protections for these Americans.

Earlier this month, Congresswoman Kuster called on Ways and Means Committee Chairman Neal, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Pallone, and Education and Labor Committee Chairman Scott to prioritize strengthening the Affordable Care Act and working towards universal, affordable coverage.  The introduction comes as the Trump Administration is backing efforts to strike down the Affordable Care Act in its entirety.

“Democrats in the House have long sought to work across the aisle to improve and strengthen access to quality, affordable healthcare, but unfortunately, the Trump Administration is focused on partisan attacks against the ACA that will threaten access to healthcare for millions of Americans,” said Kuster. “I’ve heard from people throughout New Hampshire who are concerned about their access to affordable, quality healthcare. The legislation we introduced today will make a real difference in the lives of Americans by lowering costs and ensuring protections for those with pre-existing conditions. We can’t turn back the clock on the progress we’ve made and must keep working to achieve universal coverage for all Americans.”

Last month, Kuster introduced the Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act (HR 986) with Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08) and Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), which would revoke Section 1332 guidance released by the Trump Administration’s U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on October 22, 2018. That guidance weakened protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. Kuster has focused on working across the aisle to improve the Affordable Care Act. She’s also backed the Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act, which would expand access to Medicare to allow people aged 50 to 64 to buy into the program and authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate volume discounts on prescription drugs. Kuster has also unveiled proposals to address the cost of healthcare and stabilize the individual marketplace and has pushed back against partisan efforts to undermine the ACA.

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