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ASAM Urges Congress to Keep Healthcare Affordable and Restore Subsidies for Marketplace Plans
ASAM and fellow members of the Coalition for Whole Health, a group of national organizations advocating for policies to increase access to quality mental health and substance use care, urge Congress to make healthcare affordable for millions of Americans by restoring the enhanced subsidies for Marketplace plans. Failure to do so will cause people to lose access to comprehensive health coverage for substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health services, writes the coalition.
Concerns about the lapse of subsidies were outlined in a statement for the record submitted before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, which held a hearing on November 19th titled "The Rising Cost of Health Care: Considering Meaningful Solutions for All Americans."
The coalition also warns against pursuing alternative health insurance products that are not required to comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and therefore do not cover the 10 Essential Health Benefits, including substance use disorder care. Many alternative health plans are also exempt from the ACA's pre-existing condition protections, putting people with SUD at risk of being denied coverage and accessing the lifesaving care they need.