Washington, D.C. – (December 21, 2020) – Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) issued this statement as Congressional negotiators came to an agreement on a COVID-19 relief package:
“Every American deserves access to affordable health coverage and high-quality care, especially during a pandemic. We applaud members of Congress for delivering much-needed COVID-related relief for millions of Americans, and for their continued commitment to building on and improving our world-class health care system to deliver high-quality, affordable care to all Americans.
“We thank Congress for including robust funding for COVID-19 testing and vaccines, as well as additional funding for providers on the front lines. These are absolutely essential to America’s continued recovery from this crisis.
“As members of Congress continue to consider additional ways to support those affected by this pandemic, we encourage them to focus on the pivotal role of states in ensuring a strong safety net and that people have health care coverage. We urge future consideration of an enhanced federal match for Medicaid to help ensure states have the resources needed to provide Medicaid coverage for Americans whose incomes have dropped sharply and become eligible during this crisis. We also encourage Congress to continue to support employers’ ability to provide affordable health care coverage for hardworking Americans.
“While we appreciate Congress’ work to protect patients from surprise medical bills, we remain deeply concerned that hardworking American families and businesses will face increased costs and higher premiums as private-equity firms exploit arbitration processes. We have already seen this play out in Texas and New York, which have both experienced first-hand the harms of arbitration on consumers.
“Health insurance providers will continue to invest to protect people’s coverage and ensure access to COVID-19 testing, treatments and vaccinations. We will continue to work with federal leaders into 2021 to defeat and overcome the COVID-19 crisis.”
About AHIP
AHIP is the national association whose members provide coverage for health care and related services to hundreds of millions of Americans every day. Through these offerings, we improve and protect the health and financial security of consumers, families, businesses, communities and the nation. We are committed to market-based solutions and public-private partnerships that improve affordability, value, access, and well-being for consumers. Visit www.ahip.org for more information.