The Iowa Hospital Association is pleased that the American Health Care Act was not pushed through the House on a wave of political pressure. There is far too much at stake – and too many unanswered questions – to force through a bill that would jeopardize health insurance coverage for more than 20 million Americans, including 200,000 Iowans.
The Affordable Care Act is not perfect, but Iowa’s hospitals are committed to working with elected officials and agency administrators on addressing those problems and making it better, just as we have been for the last seven years.
However, the AHCA was not the answer. It endangered the health of thousands of Iowans – senior citizens, children and families, the disabled, veterans and others – who have received health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. It threatened the Medicaid program that serves 630,000 Iowa residents. And it would have been an economic disaster for our state budget as well as hospitals and other health care providers that all Iowans depend on.
Iowa’s hospitals will continue to work with our congressional delegation as advocates dedicated to improving the health and lives of Iowans.