In the News

Rep. Richard Neal, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic House committee chairs to present a bill that would expand coverage under the Affordable Care Act during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re very much in the midst of this pandemic,” Neal said during a press conference yesterday. “There is no better time to increase access to high quality health care while lowering health care costs than right now.”

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act would lower health insurance premiums by expanding eligibility for premium tax credits. It would also lower the income threshold for eligibility and increase the size of tax credits for all income brackets. Americans with private health insurance could obtain prescription drugs at the same lower price as those covered by Medicare.

Neal said the measure would help bring most Americans’ closer to the relatively high coverage levels seen in Massachusetts.

“One hundred percent of the children in Massachusetts today have health insurance, and almost 98% of the adults have health insurance because of our efforts,” the Springfield Democrat said.

Under this legislation, Neal says no one would pay more than 8.5% of income for a silver plan secured on the ACA marketplace, and Americans earning $19,000 or less annually would pay no premium. A family of four with a household income of $40,000 would save $1,600 a year, according to Neal.

Pelosi said the bill will go to a House vote on Monday, but the legislation faces certain defeat in the GOP-controlled Senate.