By SR. CAROL KEEHAN, DC
CHA president and chief executive officer
Sr. Carol
CHA is pleased and relieved that Congress is out for their summer vacation and the legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act did not pass. We are very encouraged that Sen. Lamar Alexander, chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking minority member, are committed to a bipartisan way of improving the ACA.
Health care and a stable health care delivery system are critical to individuals and to society. There is the ability to improve the ACA so it better serves the people of this country and lowers health care costs for everyone. Many people have excellent suggestions and are willing to work in a bipartisan way to get this done. CHA has pledged to the members of Congress of both parties that we stand ready to join with them to make the improvements in our health care system that will stabilize the insurance market, improve affordability, and strengthen and expand the coverage gains already achieved.
CHA also is aware that there are efforts to significantly undermine the law's ability to assist the people of our country. We join with the many people of both parties and many organizations in urging Congress and the administration to strengthen the implementation of the law.
Congress' legislative effort to repeal and replace the ACA has been a tumultuous process, and we need to work together now to strengthen and improve this critical program. Thank you to so many CHA members who worked so ardently to convince members of Congress that the ACA needed to be improved, not repealed.