Statement on the 3rd Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

Washington, DC (March 23, 2013) — Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the 3rd anniversary of the Affordable Care Act:

"Three years ago, President Barack Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, the most significant law in half a century. Obamacare ends insurance abuses, makes healthcare affordable, improves Medicare and Medicaid for seniors and people with disabilities, and provides coverage to uninsured Americans.

"We can already see the benefits of Obamacare taking place. Over 100 million Americans have benefited from the preventive services requirement, getting cancer screenings and annual wellness visits without cost-sharing. Young adults can now stay on their parents' insurance, children cannot be refused coverage due to preexisting conditions and seniors and peoples with disabilities are paying less for their prescription drugs. Most importantly, beginning in January, millions of uninsured Americans will gain access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance coverage, and being a woman can never again be considered a preexisting condition.

"In Illinois, people with Medicare saved over $253 million on prescription drugs since Obamacare went into effect. Over 2 million women in Illinois now have guaranteed access to preventive services without cost-sharing.

"We must continue to fight for the full implementation of Obamacare, including Medicaid expansion in every state, and continue moving forward in the fight for comprehensive affordable health care for all."

###