On the recordFebruary 27, 2014
The administration has declared this week to be National Latino Enrollment Week in the hopes of mounting a special push--a big rush--of Latinos rushing to sign up for the Affordable Care Act because it is supposedly going to help their lives in so many ways. Yet Latinos nationwide, like millions of other Americans, are discovering that they just can't afford the Affordable Care Act. Not only is it causing them to lose coverage, but they also see their premiums rise and have their health care plans canceled. The Spanish site that the administration promised would help people enroll reads as if it were written by a first-year Spanish student, and it has proven to have more problems than the actual English version of healthcare.gov. Where we live in the Central Valley, Latinos already struggle to access doctors. We have got a huge shortage of doctors, doctors that are willing to take Medicare and Medicaid, because of the reimbursement rates. So now, with the Affordable Care Act, we are going to have even fewer doctors and less access. Health care reform that doesn't increase their access is meaningless. The Affordable Care Act has also heightened their struggles. Mr. Speaker, we must repeal and replace this damaging law with one that benefits the Latino community and millions of others across the country. ____________________
