Wasserman Schultz Statement on Fifth Anniversary of Affordable Care Act

Fort Lauderdale, FL, March 23, 2015
Florida's success is due in no small part to these dedicated navigators, who have worked tirelessly to learn the ins and outs of the enrollment process, help families understand the information and documentation they need to get a plan, and answer the questions that people have as they work through the system. This was a great opportunity to talk about what has worked well previously, and what could be improved upon to make the 2016 enrollment season even better.
Five years ago today, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama, forever changing America by making access to health care a right and not a privilege.
To mark this anniversary of the law’s passage, celebrate South Florida’s enrollment success, and learn about the concerns and observations of those on the front line of enrollment in our community, U.S. Rep.Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) convened a round table conversation of ACA navigators, community leaders, and a senior official from the Department of Health and Human Services.
For the second year in a row, Florida performed the best among states that rely on the Federal government’s marketplace, HealthCare.gov. In 2015, more than 1.5 million Floridians were re-enrolled or signed up for a health care plan through HealthCare.gov. The ACA is having a significant impact in the lives of Floridians: a Gallup poll recently showed that the uninsured rate in Florida in 2014 was 18.3 percent, down from 22.1 percent in 2013.
“Florida’s success is due in no small part to these dedicated navigators, who have worked tirelessly to learn the ins and outs of the enrollment process, help families understand the information and documentation they need to get a plan, and answer the questions that people have as they work through the system,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “This was a great opportunity to talk about what has worked well previously, and what could be improved upon to make the 2016 enrollment season even better.”
Nationwide, HHS announced that nearly 11.7 million consumers are enrolled in 2015 Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. Dr. Pamela Roshell, HHS’ Region 4 Director, which includes Florida, was on hand to speak to and answer questions from the navigators.
“What is clear to this group gathered today, and the millions of people who now have health care because of the ACA, is that we can never and will never go back to the days when getting sick means you could lose your health insurance, or go bankrupt trying to get better,” Rep. Wasserman Schultz continued. “The uninsured rate has fallen by 35 percent in the last two years, and millions of vulnerable populations such as women, young people and senior citizens are realizing extra protections and benefits.”
The Affordable Care Act is also personally important to Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz. Following her own successful battle against breast cancer, she wrote the the Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, or the EARLY Act, and it became law as part of the ACA in 2010. The EARLY Act created an education and outreach campaign administered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to highlight the breast cancer risks facing young women and women of higher-risk ethnic and racial backgrounds, while empowering them with the tools they need to fight the disease.
The EARLY Act also targets health care providers with education and information to ensure they are better equipped to catch breast cancer in young women, and was just reauthorized for five more years in December 2014.
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