Ahead of ACA Anniversary, Heinrich, Luján Highlight Record Enrollment and Slam Republicans for Pushing ACA Repeal

Republican Calls to Repeal the ACA Jeopardizes Health Care for New Mexicans—MORE HERE

Washington, D.C. – Ahead of the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) this Saturday, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) are touting record-breaking ACA enrollment, highlighting how Democrats have built on the successes of the ACA, and speaking out against Republican attempts to repeal the ACA. Donald Trump recently vowed that we would “never give up” on repealing the Affordable Care Act, calling the failure to repeal the ACA during his term “a low point for the Republican party,” and he has continued to double down on those comments. Senate Republicans have signaled their openness to repealing the ACA in recent months and Republicans in Congress are fighting to dismantle reproductive care and access to vital preventive care, hike premiums, slash Medicare and Medicaid, reverse recent coverage gains, and raise prescription drug costs for the American people.

Right now, more people receive health care coverage under the ACA than ever before. More than 40 million Americans are covered by the ACA's subsidized marketplaces and Medicaid expansion, and a record-breaking 21.3 million people signed up for ACA marketplace coverage during the latest Open Enrollment season. Congressional Democrats and President Biden have built on the ACA by further lowering premium costs and prescription drug costs through the landmark Inflation Reduction Act. The new law has lowered annual premiums for people who buy their own coverage by an average of $2,400 per family and has saved the average 60-year-old couple with a household income of $75,000 approximately $1,900 in monthly premiums for Marketplace coverage. 

“One of my early votes in Congress was for the Affordable Care Act, to make health care accessible for working families, including the 40,000 New Mexicans benefiting from it this year alone,” said Senator Heinrich. “Fourteen years later, I’m still committed to this program and building on its success to lower health care costs, support health care careers that New Mexicans can build their families around, and ensure every New Mexican can access the care they need to stay safe and healthy.”

“Despite Republicans’ multiple failed attempts, the Affordable Care Act is stronger than ever – and saving New Mexicans money,” said Senator Luján, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “On this 14th anniversary, I’m proud to join Senate Democrats to highlight this legislation’s continued success with over 40 million Americans covered. We’re committed to building on this landmark legislation and will always defend it against Republican attacks.”

Under the Trump administration, Heinrich and Luján fought back time and again to block Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The consequences of repealing the ACA would touch nearly every household in the country: in addition to 20 million Americans losing coverage, over 843,000 New Mexicans with pre-existing conditions would lose critical protections, seniors would have to pay more for prescription drugs, and insurance companies would not be required to cover preventative care, such as vaccinations, contraception, and cancer screenings, and once again impose annual and lifetime limits on benefits and charge women more.

More on what ACA repeal would mean in New Mexico is HERE. 

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