12.20.2024 / Statement

Families USA Statement on Congress Failing to Act with Looming Government Shutdown that Could Harm Access to Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Anthony Wright, executive director of Families USA, today released the following statement as Congress fails to act to address affordability for families and gets closer to shutting down the government.

“As a government shutdown looms and political leaders figure out another backup plan, Americans should recognize that what has seemingly already been lost is real relief to address health care costs. With voters clearly calling for big and bold efforts to address affordability, Congress had all of the pieces in place to pass a bipartisan package that would begin to lower health care costs and provide more financial stability for families. Instead, they disregarded their constituents’ health and economic security by caving to billionaires and walking away from vetted, bipartisan commonsense solutions.

“The end-of-year package needed to include urgently needed extension of the enhanced tax credits that help Americans pay their health insurance premiums. Congress should have also included the multiple bipartisan reforms vetted throughout the session to improve health care price transparency or require that hospitals charge the same price for the same service, regardless of where care is delivered. The bill the Republican majority failed to pass also dropped modest reforms to fix abusive practices related to drug patents and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and requirements for more clarity on how health care providers bill for services. At this point, even the extensions for critical funding for community health centers and teaching health centers are uncertain, as is just keeping the government open.

“Shutting down the government has real, harmful consequences for our nation’s families. Even if coverage through Medicare and Medicaid continues in a shutdown, many basic functions of these programs will halt and government workers are prevented from doing their jobs to help Americans get the care and coverage they need. The House leadership should do its job to move ahead with a package that keeps the government open and takes steps to address health access and affordability.”