Kamlager-Dove Remarks at Protect Our Care Press Conference
LOS ANGELES - Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) joined Protect Our Care for a press conference on the record-breaking open enrollment numbers California and the country experienced this past open enrollment period alongside Chair of the Democratic Caucus, Congressman Pete Aguilar (CA-33), and Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28). Below is a transcript of her remarks as prepared, as well as her answer to a question from the press conference.
To watch the press conference, click here.
“Hello everyone, I am so excited to be here today to celebrate the record-breaking enrollment numbers we’ve seen across the country and right here in California. More people than ever are expected to receive health care this year, which means more families will be able to benefit from quality, affordable care.
“The increased number of insured Americans is a testament to the work that Congressional Democrats have done. Under the leadership of President Biden, we’ve fought to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and ensure out-of-pocket costs are low for those who need it the most.
“The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that President Biden signed into law helped achieve the numbers we are talking about today. Based on our most up-to-date figures, 33,000 people who signed up for an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan in my District are saving an average of $960 on their health insurance annually thanks to the IRA's historic Affordable Care Act tax credits.
“Though we have made strides in the right direction, more must be done to actualize an equitable and fair health care system. There is no excuse why the United States is one of the richest countries in the world but suffers from health care outcomes that are commonly seen in developing countries. American’s life expectancy has dropped, the U.S. has the highest death rates for some of the most treatable conditions – including the highest maternal and infant mortality rates, and Americans even tend to see doctors less than those in other countries.
“We have a moral obligation to improve access to health care especially since it has been constantly under attack. The former president has made it clear he will continue his campaign to gut the ACA and leave behind millions of Americans who have depended on the ACA for over a decade without another option.
“Not only that, but we cannot continue to see women’s health care rolled back by extremist Republicans who believe politicians should come in-between a woman and her doctor. There is so much at stake this year, but I will continue my work in Congress to defend the human right to health care and continue to support policies that achieve this goal.
“Thank you, and I’ll pass it back to Protect Our Care.”
Q: "Are there any healthcare needs specific to your district in LA that you want to spotlight that are specifically from the IRA or other Democratic legislative achievements?"
A: "It's really important to note that many folks in my community, but also in districts across the country, have suffered from pre-existing conditions. The ACA was able to really attack that by giving people the coverage that they deserve. People need coverage that they can afford—you further marginalize communities when you prevent them from being able to access health care, and we saw that exacerbate exponentially during the time of COVID. You also saw President Biden jump in and manage us through this international pandemic, this healthcare crisis, and he was able to do so because the ACA was there already intact.
"I also want to share that for the African American communities that reside in my district, maternal health care is really important, as is access to abortion care. We know those numbers correlate with one another—folks who are not able to access abortion care also have higher mortality rates when it comes to maternal health. What the ACA does and what President Biden is doing is letting us know that we all have a right to access this care. It is as much about reproductive health care as it is about preventative care, as it is about getting you to a doctor who's going to see you as a human being with individual needs, and then work with you to prescribe the kind of care that you need and you deserve.
"That's why I'm proud to be a Democrat in this moment in time to say, 'of course, I'm going to continue to fight for your human rights,' which is the right to be able to access affordable quality health care. I want you to have lower costs, I want you to be able to see doctors that are going to treat you in a culturally sensitive way, and I want you to be able to live your life as healthily as you can.
"Not only did President Biden reduce the cost of insulin, but he also reduced the cost of hearing aids. And I don't know about you, but when I'm on the House floor, I'm like 'these Republicans don't seem to be hearing anything,' because the people are saying they want health care. So maybe Republicans need to get some of those hearing aids to help them hear better that constituents across all of our districts across this country are demanding that the ACA stay in place and are demanding that we continue to expand coverage."
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