The State of Black Health: A Congressional Black Caucus Assessment During National Minority Health Month

Floor Speech

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Thank you so much. I want to commend my colleagues from Illinois and New Jersey for having this wonderful CBC hour on minority health and the disparities that exist.

I want to talk for a minute about how we in Congress have tried to address these disparities. You know, our Nation celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act in March. This anniversary marked the historic progress our Nation has made towards making health care not just a privilege, but a right for every American.

The ACA has significantly affected the minority population by trying to close the gap on the disparity by giving access to affordable healthcare insurance for all Americans. Thanks to the ACA, health insurers can no longer deny coverage to individuals because of preexisting conditions, and women no longer have to pay higher premiums than men. Because of this law, millions of Americans can finally afford to go to the doctor, and families no longer risk losing their home savings and all that they have if a family member gets sick.

For those who already had insurance, the ACA has meant new savings and new protections. This has even been true in my home State of Alabama, a State that did not choose to enact a healthcare exchange, a State that did not expand Medicaid. During the most recent enrollment period, more than 171,000 Alabamians enrolled in quality healthcare coverage at a price that they could afford. Over 1.1 million Alabamians with private health insurance now have access to free preventive services, and Alabamians with Medicare have saved more than $240 million in prescription drug costs. In 2014 alone, nearly 90,000 Alabamians saved an average of $931 for prescriptions. Yes, even in my State of Alabama, which chose not to enact a healthcare exchange and not to expand Medicaid, the ACA is working.

These are more than just numbers. Greater access to healthcare insurance leads to a healthier population, which is good news not only for Alabamians, but for all Americans. The ACA, indeed, works. That is why I have proudly defended the ACA against numerous attacks to undermine or repeal the law. Bipartisanship is possible. Members from both sides of the aisle in both Chambers must work together to strengthen our healthcare system and to ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable healthcare insurance.

In March, I was proud that 392 of us in the House of Representatives agreed on a permanent fix to the flawed Medicare physician payment system and an extension to the Children's Health Insurance Program, otherwise known as CHIP. This bipartisan agreement marked a historic victory for our children of this Nation. It also was a victory for our seniors, working class families, and healthcare providers. We must continue to work together to ensure the healthcare system is working for all of us.

Unfortunately, for many working poor individuals and families, access to quality health care is still out of their reach. An estimated 191,000 Alabamians, for example, are uninsured because our Governor has refused to expand Medicaid. Let me repeat that. 191,000 Alabamians would benefit if our Governor would expand Medicaid in the State of Alabama. These individuals pay their taxes, work hard, and contribute to their communities. Our government should assist them in return. Governor Robert Bentley recently created the Alabama Health Care Improvement Task Force to examine ways to increase access to health care in rural Alabama.

I welcome my Governor's establishment of this task force. I know that when this task force meets, it will recommend expanding Medicaid.

My hope is that we will put partisan politics aside in my great State of Alabama and look to what is in the best interest of all the people. Clearly, 191,000 Alabamians fall in that gap, those who currently cannot get healthcare insurance because this State would refuse to expand Medicaid.

I find it ironic, Mr. Speaker, that my Governor would choose to recommend expanding taxes. Increasing taxes is hiscurrent proposal on the floor in the statehouse in order to meet the shortfall that exists in my State.

Let's just think about that. My Governor would rather increase taxes than to accept money from the Federal Government to expand Medicaid--how shortsighted.

No State that refuses to expand Medicaid has been better off without it. Without the expansion, the dramatic healthcare needs of Alabama's working poor will remain unmet; and rural hospitals, many of which I represent, will face growing financial challenges that will undoubtedly lead to reduced services.

According to a 2013 study conducted by the Culverhouse College of Commerce at the University of Alabama, the Medicaid expansion would create $28 billion in overall business activity in the State of Alabama. There has not been another economic development investment in the State of Alabama that would bring the State more than 30,000 new jobs annually.

A 2012 study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health found that Medicaid expansion in our State would generate $20 billion in new economic activity and a $925 million increase in State tax revenues--yes, revenues to our State.

Expanding Medicaid is clearly not only a moral imperative, but I would say to you that it is an economic imperative in my State. With each day that our State delays expansion, more Alabamians are unable to work due to unrelated health conditions. More rural hospitals have to cut services because of uncompensated care provided in their emergency rooms.

With each day that my State delays expanding, Alabamians continue to forego the immense economic benefit that results from this investment. The greatest casualty, Mr. Speaker, are the most vulnerable Americans, the most vulnerable in our society: the poor, the working poor, the unemployed, the uninsured.

It is unacceptable that the State of Alabama has not chosen to expand Medicaid. We owe it to Alabama taxpayers to expand Medicaid now.

I want to commend my colleagues, Representatives Payne and Kelly, for choosing to talk about the effects of health care on minority populations. I would add that in this day and age, when we have a law--the Affordable Care Act--that stands ready and willing to help Americans help themselves--after all, what we are saying is we are giving access to affordable healthcare insurance, insurance that they have to pay for, insurance that they can get subsidized if they are the working poor--we deserve it as Americans.

In this great country, no one should go without health care, no one, especially those who are the most vulnerable in our society.

I hope that through talking about the disparities that exist in minority health, we also remember that this great institution did do something that would help decrease the disparity. We chose to pass the Affordable Care Act, and every time, we have defended it against repeal.

It is time that States like the State of Alabama get with the program. It is time States like Alabama expand Medicaid and that we choose our people over politics. Partisan politics should not rule the day; instead, we should care more about the people we represent than the partisan politics of each of our parties.

I thank my colleagues for continuing the fight. The CBC Special Order hour is very important. It highlights not only what is important to minority communities--because what is important to minority communities is important to all vulnerable communities in America.

I want to thank my colleagues for continuing this great tradition. I want to thank them for choosing to talk about health care and the disparities that exist in this country.

I want to urge all of the Alabama lawmakers who are listening to my voice, the State lawmakers who are in Montgomery today, that we need to work together to expand Medicaid in the State of Alabama. The medical case is there. The economic case is there. The moral case is there.

Let's do what is right for all Alabamians, and let's expand Medicaid today.

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