AHA submits statement to House hearing on pathways to universal coverage

In a statement submitted today to the House Education & Labor Committee for a subcommittee hearing on “pathways to affordable, universal health coverage,” the AHA called for continued efforts to expand Medicaid in non-expansion states; permanent federal subsidies for lower- and middle-income individuals and families; renewed funding for marketplace cost-sharing subsidies and reinsurance mechanisms; and robust enrollment efforts.

“While the AHA shares the objective of achieving health coverage for all Americans, we do not agree that a government-run, single-payer system is right for this country,” the AHA said. “Such an approach could upend a system that is working for the vast majority of Americans and throw into chaos one of the largest sectors of the U.S. economy. … The better path to achieving comprehensive coverage for all Americans lies in continuing to build on the progress made over the past decade.”