Carper Asks Delawareans: How has the Affordable Care Act helped you?

WILMINGTON, Del. – Today U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) launched a portal on his website, www.carper.senate.gov/healthcarestories, and email, healthcare@carper.senate.gov, to hear from Delawareans about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has helped them and how they will be impacted if the law is repealed. Since the ACA was enacted, 20 million more Americans, including 38,000 Delawareans, have gained access to high-quality, comprehensive health care coverage. The ACA requires insurance plans to meet minimum levels of coverage, limit maximum out-of-pocket costs, and prohibit lifetime or annual limits on care. The law has helped expand access to essential benefits like preventative care, women’s health services, and mental health treatment. 

Despite the progress made under the ACA, President Trump and Republicans in Congress continue to pursue a repeal of the law that will drastically cut funding to states, create massive uncertainty in the insurance markets and put patients’ health care at risk. Over the past few months, Sen. Carper has been traveling across the First State to hear from hospitals, federally qualified health centers, doctors and patients about how a repeal of the ACA will affect their business or family. 

“Our country was founded on the belief that every person has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But no individual who lacks access to affordable and comprehensive health care can fully attain those rights,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Carper. “I’ve been traveling around Delaware, listening to patients tell stories about what the ACA means to them. I’ve also heard from community, hospital and health care leaders. Those stories have been incredibly powerful, but I know there are even more stories about how ACA has helped people in the First State and I want to make sure I hear from all Delawareans.” 

Delawareans can go to www.carper.senate.gov/healthcarestories or email healthcare@carper.senate.gov to submit their health care story.