Culpeper Star-Exponent: Spanberger: Let people buy ACA insurance during pandemic

Mar 18, 2020
Healthcare
In the News

CULPEPER STAR EXPONENT, CLINT SCHEMMER

U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger is urging the Trump administration to provide affordable health-care coverage to people who may be at risk of developing COVID-19.

The Central Virginia congresswoman called on officials Wednesday to open a special enrollment period for individuals’ health insurance sign-ups under the Affordable Care Act during the coronavirus pandemic.

Unless the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services does so, Virginians must wait until November 2020 to buy new or updated marketplace insurance plans, the 7th District lawmaker’s office said.

The Virginia Healthcare Foundation reported this year that about 712,000 Virginians under age 65 didn’t have health insurance in 2018. More than 64 percent of these uninsured residents were in working families. Many such families are eligible for subsidized plans through the ACA Marketplace.

Spanberger, with more than 100 of her House colleagues, asked HHS Secretary Alex Azar to establish the special enrollment period for patients seeking ACA Marketplace coverage. Previously, HHS opened federal enrollment after disasters such as Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Dorian.

“Many among the close to 30 million Americans living without insurance and estimated 44 million who are under-insured would benefit from such a declaration,” the legislators wrote Azar. “As outbreaks emerge and community spread continues in the United States, our most vulnerable neighbors are those who lack comprehensive health coverage. Without that coverage, they are unlikely to seek treatment for COVID-19, leaving all in our community at risk.”

The lawmakers said providing a way for more Americans to seek health coverage would be “an important step” in bolstering public health during the crisis.

“Without effective action, we are concerned that Americans will not be adequately protected against current and future coronavirus outbreaks,” they said.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee’s subcommittee on health, led the letter-writers.

Recent Posts


Oct 3, 2024
Veterans' Issues

President Signs Into Law Spanberger-Backed Bill to Cut Red Tape for Veterans Joining the Trucking Workforce

The “Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act” Would Cut Red Tape for CDL Schools & the Veterans They Serve WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Biden this week signed into law bipartisan legislation U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger helped lead to cut red tape for Veterans looking to use their GI benefits to pay for commercial driver’s license […]



Oct 2, 2024
Press

Spanberger Grateful for FEMA Disaster Assistance for Virginia to Recover from Hurricane Helene, Urges Congress to Pass Emergency Appropriations Package to “Meet Any Unmet Needs”

Congresswoman: “Virginia’s Families And Businesses Will Need Additional Support As The Full Extent Of The Devastation Becomes Clear” WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after President Biden granted additional federal disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Congresswoman also urged congressional […]



Oct 1, 2024
Press

Spanberger, Wittman Lead Bipartisan Effort to Increase Military Leave for Federal Employees Serving in the National Guard, Reserves

The “Supporting Federal Employees in the National Guard & Reserves Act” is Endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police, International Association of Fire Fighters, American Federation of Government Employees, & Reserve Organization of America WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) today introduced bipartisan legislation to increase military leave […]