Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will host a town hall to protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA) from Republican congressional attacks and to hear from District of Columbia residents who have benefitted from the ACA, including those with employer-provided insurance, seniors, women, and Medicaid enrollees, on Thursday, February 23, 2017, at 6 pm, at One Judiciary Square (441 4th Street, NW), Old Council Chamber (First Floor). Norton needs stories not only from DC residents who have gained health insurance through the DC Health Link exchange, but from all DC residents, regardless of their source of health insurance, who rely on critical ACA reforms, such as residents with preexisting conditions, seniors who receive preventive care services at no cost, women who no longer can be charged more for health insurance than men, and many others.

Democrats are hosting ACA town halls across the country to raise awareness about the effects of repealing the ACA on health insurance for all Americans. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, more than 96 percent of DC residents now have health insurance, and only three states have lower rates of uninsured residents than the District.

Background
Below is a list of comprehensive consequences of repealing the ACA for DC residents.

• The 106,000 DC residents who have pre-existing health conditions would be at risk of having their coverage rescinded, being denied coverage, or being charged significantly more for coverage.
• Women who can now purchase insurance for the same price as men would be at risk of being charged more for insurance. Before the ACA, women paid up to 32% more than men for their health insurance.
• 281,235 DC residents who now have private health insurance that covers preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles stand to lose this access if the ACA provisions requiring health insurers to cover important preventive services without cost-sharing are eliminated.
• 46,684 DC seniors who have received preventive care services without cost thanks to ACA provisions requiring coverage of annual wellness visits and eliminating cost-sharing for many recommended preventive services covered by Medicare Part B, such as cancer screenings, would be at risk of losing access to these services.
• Individuals who are 26 and under would no longer be able to stay on their parents’ health care plans.
• DC would be at risk of losing $464 million in federal Medicaid dollars if the Medicaid expansion was eliminated.