BY U.S. SENATOR DANIEL INOUYE, D-HAWAII – Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act more than two years ago, the President and those in the Congress who worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass this measure have been subjected to legal scrutiny and withering criticism from opponents of the law.
Improving the way we treat the sick and how we provide for the health of our families became a bitter political fight.
Now that the Supreme Court has determined the law is constitutionally legitimate, let’s get on with the work of the people. I applaud the Justices for their careful review of the law and thank them for ruling on behalf of the healthcare needs of millions of Americans.
Because of the health care reform law, over 3 million young adults now have health insurance that would otherwise not be covered, 17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage, and more than 5 million seniors will save $4 billion on their prescription drugs.
We in the Congress understand this law is not perfect but it can and will be improved, over time, in the same fashion that changes and improvements have been incorporated over the past 46 years to the Medicare program.
I am proud to have been a part of the historic process that brought comprehensive healthcare reform to every American and I look forward to working with my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, as we continue to improve this important initiative.
To learn more about how the Affordable Care Act helps Hawaii, please visit:
https://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/hi.html