Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced Thursday that the committee will hold hearings to examine how the health reform law benefits Americans.
The hearings will explore several provisions of the Affordable Care Act and feature testimony from those directly affected by the act's provisions, according to Harkin.
"Millions of Americans are already benefiting from protections in the health reform law, and millions more will see benefits in the coming months and years – both in terms of their health and their economic well-being," he said.
The committee's first hearing will be held on January 27 to examine how the law protects consumers against insurance industry abuses, such as the denial of coverage to Americans with preexisting conditions. The hearing, titled "The Affordable Care Act: Freeing Americans from Insurance Company Abuses," will be the committee's first hearing in the 112th Congress, according to Harkin.
Harkin said additional hearings will examine how the ACA:
- Protects consumers against insurance industry abuses;
- Holds insurers accountable for how they set insurance rates and spend consumers' premium dollars;
- Benefits small business owners;
- Reduces the deficit and promotes economic growth;
- Increases quality of care and reduces waste, fraud and abuse in the healthcare system;
- Makes investments in prevention and wellness;
- Allows people to change jobs without fear of losing their health insurance;
- Expands coverage to millions of Americans.
Harkin's announcement come as House GOP leaders are planning a floor vote next Wednesday to repeal the ACA. Republican leaders claim they will be able to sway enough Senate Democrats to repeal the law when the time comes for a Senate vote. But nothing on Capitol Hill is indicating even the most conservative Senate Democrats will vote for a repeal.
The White House has indicated it plans to step up its public defense of the ACA. On Friday, the health insurance industry took heat from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for a 59 percent rate hike proposed in California. The ACA defends Americans from such rate hikes, she said.