(BOSTON AND WASHINGTON, DC) – “As consumer and faith-based organizations representing millions of American families, we understand the struggle faced by people who cannot afford to get the care they need when they need it. That is why our organizations worked so hard for passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We firmly believe the law as passed goes a long way toward providing meaningful health care coverage at an affordable cost.

“Today, however, Congress chipped away at key affordability protections for low and moderate-income Americans under the ACA. The vote to pay for 1099 repeal by weakening the ACA’s affordability protections would impose significant financial penalties on struggling families. This change undermines the core principle of the ACA, which is to make health care more affordable, and weakens the law overall.

“We support efforts to improve the law for small businesses, but we don’t think those efforts should come at the expense of hard-working low- and middle-income Americans,” Restuccia said.

“With families struggling with hard economic times and rising health care costs, Congress should be focused on making health care more, not less affordable,” said Wiggins. 

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About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to quality affordable health care for all.  Since 1997, Community Catalyst has been working to build the consumer and community leadership required to transform the American health system.  With the belief that this transformation will happen when consumers are fully engaged and have an organized voice, Community Catalyst works in partnership with national, state and local consumer organizations, policymakers, and foundations, providing leadership and support to change the health care system so it serves everyone – especially vulnerable members of society.  For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org.

PICO National Network is a national network of faith-based community organizations working to expand health care coverage and improve communities in 17 states. www.piconetwork.org