Health
Access to health care remains a prominent issue in the 29th District
Health Reform Legislation
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, into law. This was followed a week later by H.R. 4872, the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, which made improvements to the former. This was a huge victory for the 29th District because increased access to affordable health care is a critical need in our community. According to data from the 2008 U.S. Census, the 29th Congressional District ranks number one in the nation for the highest rate of persons under the age of 65 without insurance (43 percent), which is more than three times the national rate (17 percent). One in four children under the age of 18 in the 29th District also does not have health insurance.
An interactive timeline of the protections and advantages for consumers that will come into place as a result of this health reform legislation can be found at www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html
On January 2, 2011, the House of Representatives passed HR 2, the Repealing the Jobs Killing Health Care Law Act sponsored by Rep. Eric Cantor. Currently, this legislation is pending consideration before the Senate. HR 2 would strike HR 3590 and revert our health care system to the way it previously existed before the passage of the health reform laws. I did not support HR 2 when it came before the House due to the negative impact it would have on our constituents and the nation. Click here to see the impact of repealing health reform on the 29th District.
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Community health centers have proven to be an invaluable resource by helping to fill the void in health care access for low-income and uninsured individuals. Every year, they provide thousands of constituents with primary and preventative care that they would otherwise seek at an emergency room.
Over the years, our office has helped foster increased growth of community health centers not only in the Houston area but also nationally by sponsoring the Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008 which became law in 2008 and reauthorized funding for the Community Health Center program, from which all Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) receive funds.
There are 4 FQHCs in our district: Pasadena Health Center, Denver Harbor Clinic, El Centro de Corazon, and the Airline Children’s Clinic. It is vitally important we continue our collaborative work in the community to encourage the development and expansion of community health centers so they can continue to provide high quality and affordable health care to medically underserved communities.
Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans
Too often, people with pre-existing medical conditions like cancer, diabetes, or asthma are denied basic health insurance coverage by insurance companies because they are seen as too costly or risky to insure. Congress saw this injustice and included provisions to combat this in the Affordable Care Act, which completely bans this type of discrimination by 2014. It also designated funds for states to set up Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans (PCIP) to give people with medical conditions the opportunity to get health insurance now.
On May 31, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new guidelines for enrolling in federally-administrated PCIP programs, which includes Texas. Premiums for plans in Texas will decrease by 23.6%, which will give more Texans the opportunity to get health insurance.
For information on how to apply, you can visit www.pcip.gov or call the PCIP Call Center toll-free at 1-866-717-5826.