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  • Day 1: Obamacare in the states

    While Republicans have shut down the government, the Affordable Care Act is going into effect as planned and is working to help provide every American access to quality, affordable health care. See the local video clips below for more on how millions of consumers across the country are enrolling. 

     

     

     

     

     

  • Friday the 13th

    You hear about lots of superstitions on Friday the 13th, but black cats and broken mirrors aren't the only myths we've been hearing lately. Check out this graphic to see how some Republicans have been misleading Americans about what Obamacare will do.

  • Democrats Standing Up For Medicare and Medicaid: 48 Years and Counting

    Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law well before my time in Congress, but I am honored to play a role in fighting for these vital programs and the people who benefit from their existence. While Republicans have repeatedly tried to end Medicare as it currently exists, Democrats have taken bold steps to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid. In 1997, President Clinton signed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program which provided 4.6 million children with health care by 2001, and increased the number of children covered by 70 percent in just two years. In 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law which gives every American access to quality affordable health care and improves care for many of those on Medicare and Medicaid.

    Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law well before my time in Congress, but I am honored to play a role in fighting for these vital programs and the people who benefit from their existence. While Republicans have repeatedly tried to end Medicare as it currently exists, Democrats have taken bold steps to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid. In 1997, President Clinton signed the State Children’s Health Insurance Program which provided 4.6 million children with health care by 2001, and increased the number of children covered by 70 percent in just two years. In 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law which gives every American access to quality affordable health care and improves care for many of those on Medicare and Medicaid.

    With President Obama’s reauthorization of CHIP in 2009, the program’s coverage expanded benefits to 11 million children. Under the Affordable Care Act, 34.1 million seniors have already received one or more free preventative care services, 3.1 million young adults remain covered by their parents’ health insurance through the age of 26 and insurance companies have returned more than $1.5 billion to consumers to fulfill the ACA’s mandate that premiums be spent on health care, not administrative costs. Most importantly though, these are just the first of the benefits that consumers will see as full coverage begins in January and every American has access to quality affordable health care.

    When Republicans talk about making deep cuts to programs like these, I take it personally. I know how much my constituents rely on these programs and how painful it would be for them to see their benefits reduced. America’s seniors deserve to receive the basic benefits they have earned through a lifetime of work.

    Democrats will continue to fight to defend the important promise we made to those who rely on Medicare and Medicaid for quality health care. Take a look at this video showing how Democrats have helped to expand and protect this fundamental American value, and trust me when I say we, as Democrats, will continue the fight to protect these most vital programs.

  • We’re not going to let them win

    Republicans in Texas went against the will of the people and passed an extreme anti-choice bill. Our National Director of Women's Outreach sent the following email in response.

    Friend,

    Across the country, anti-choice activists are paying attention to what you're going to do right now.

    Late last night, the Texas legislature passed an extraordinarily restrictive law that will make it illegal for a woman to receive an abortion after 20 weeks, and may shutter all but five of the 42 abortion clinics in the state.

    The impact of this law will be felt by women and families far outside of Texas, because its passage will embolden the forces all around the country who want to roll back the right of a woman to make her own health decisions, one state at a time.

    Stopping them will require both resources and political will.

    Show them you're not going to let them win -- add your name to the petition now.

    Thousands of people -- men and women alike -- joined together to protest this bill. And those people are committed to fighting back over the long haul and turning the great state of Texas blue.

    But across the country, anti-choice activists are watching us, and any hint of resignation will be an encouragement for them to keep their campaign going into more and more states.

    We need everyone on board. Say you're in:

    http://my.democrats.org/Womens-Health

    Thanks,

    Simone

    Simone Ward
    National Director of Women's Outreach
    Democratic National Committee

  • Obamacare matters for kids like Zoe

    What I care about is keeping my child healthy — and that's what Obamacare makes possible.

    My daughter Zoe was born with a congenital heart defect that required her to have multiple open heart surgeries in the first few months of her life. By the time she was six months old, she had already reached over half of her lifetime health insurance cap, which would have left us unable to pay for the continuing care and future surgeries required for Zoe to survive.

    I can't tell you how relieved I was when Obamacare passed. I got a letter from our insurance company telling us that Zoe's lifetime cap had been removed. It meant my family wouldn't have to lose everything to keep my daughter alive.

    By re-electing Barack Obama, Americans sent the clear message that we want Obamacare.

    But for some reason, Republicans continue to fight against the will of the American people. Maybe it's because they'll do anything to stop the President from succeeding or maybe they want to keep giving insurance companies record profits. Either way, I don't care. What I care about is keeping my child healthy — and that's what Obamacare makes possible.

    My family, and hundreds of thousands of families like mine across the country, have been through so much. We deserve better than Republicans continuously fighting against a policy that's been voted on, upheld by the Supreme Court, and reaffirmed by the American people.

    Join me and sign this petition telling Republicans to stop trying to repeal Obamacare.

    Sign the petition

  • See how the GOP sequester is hurting communities nationwide

    When they chose not to come to the table and stop the sequester, Republicans in Congress declared tax breaks for rich were more important than jobs or education, health care or defense. Check out—and share—http://www.gopsequester.com/ to see how the the GOP sequester is hurting communities across the country.

    When they chose not to come to the table and stop the sequester, Republicans in Congress declared tax breaks for rich were more important than jobs or education, health care or defense. Check out—and share—http://www.gopsequester.com/ to see how the the GOP sequester is hurting communities across the country.

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