Let Senator Cornyn Know that Comprehensive Affordable Coverage is a Priority

On Monday, the Senate Finance Committee released a policy proposal for expanding health care coverage. The paper results from the Committee’s second roundtable discussion on health reform, held May 5, which focused on expanding health coverage.

You can find a summary of the Committee’s paper here .

This policy paper is a positive step forward with strong proposals to improve coverage in the health care system. These components include:

  • building on successful public programs like Medicaid and CHIP;
  • strengthening public programs by simplifying enrollment, increasing provider rates, enhancing quality of care provisions, and including  EPSDT in CHIP;’ and
  • reforming the insurance market and creating an “Exchange” which will help individuals access health insurance.

We need to maintain coverage options that meet the needs of lower-income children and adults who rely on Medicaid. Medicaid provides extensive cost-sharing protections, comprehensive care particularly for children, and access to service providers that specialize in helping low-income people. We do not want to take people out of Medicaid and put them in private plans if they do not meet their needs.We need to ensure sufficient affordability and benefit protections for people in the Exchange.

  • We need reasonable limits on premiums and adequate sliding scale subsidies to make health insurance affordable for low- and moderate-income families.
  • Families need limits on deductibles and cost-sharing, as well as an overall cap on out-of-pocket expenses to ensure that people are able to afford health care when they need it.
  • Subsidies need to be simple for families to access.

Action Steps

The Committee reconvenes on Thursday, May 14th to continue to discuss coverage issues. We want Committee Members to promote issues that matter to you.  Texas Senator John Cornyn is on the Finance Committee, and he needs to hear from you today!  Visit his contact page for contact information in Washington, D.C. and Texas offices.  Use the following talking points to guide your conversation.

Talking Points

  • This policy paper is a good step forward with strong proposals to improve coverage in the health care system.
  • We need to maintain comprehensive coverage for lower-income children and adults. Don’t take individuals out of Medicaid and put them in private plans if they do not meet their needs.
  • We need to ensure sufficient affordability and benefit protections for people in the Exchange.