Patient Groups Applaud Major Improvements in Health Care Affordability – and Call for Further Progress

28 organizations representing millions of patients and consumers across the United States release the following statement in the wake of Congressional passage of the Inflation Reduction Act: 

“Our organizations have consistently urged Congress to act on two urgent priorities for patients: extending the enhanced advance premium tax credits (APTCs) enacted as part of the American Rescue Plan and closing the Medicaid coverage gap. Today, we welcome the key progress on one of those priorities in the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. 

This legislation takes important steps towards ensuring patients and consumers can afford the high quality health insurance they need to manage illness and improve their health. By extending the enhanced APTCs for an additional three years, Congress will provide patients the security of knowing health coverage will remain within reach. On behalf of millions of patients nationwide, we applaud this important action and look forward to working with Congress to continue to extend these tax credits and explore other ideas to improve affordability of insurance and healthcare in the coming months and years. 

While our organizations welcome the extension of APTCs, we are disappointed that this legislation fails to take any steps to address the Medicaid coverage gap. This omission leaves more than 2 million people with low incomes without access to quality health insurance. Congress has missed an opportunity to permanently resolve this serious problem that directly affects the health of those living in states that refused to expand Medicaid on their own. 

Our commitment to the communities we represent is steadfast. As we support the Inflation Reduction Act’s important investments in the health of our country, we also know that our work is not complete. We will continue to advocate to ensure that everyone, including those people and families that fall in the coverage gap, have equitable access to affordable high-quality health insurance.” 

• American Cancer Society Cancer Action 
• Network
• American Heart Association
• American Kidney Fund
• American Liver Foundation
• American Lung Association
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
• Cancer Support Community
• CancerCare 
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Hemophilia Federation of America
• Immune Deficiency Foundation 
• Lupus Foundation of America 
• March of Dimes
• Muscular Dystrophy Association
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Eczema Association
• National Health Council
• National Hemophilia Foundation
• National Kidney Foundation
• National Organization for Rare Disorders 
• National Patient Advocate Foundation
• National Psoriasis Foundation
• Pulmonary Hypertension Association
• Susan G. Komen
• The AIDS Institute
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 
• The Mended Hearts, Inc.
• WomenHeart: The National Coalition for 
• Women with Heart Disease