The Affordable Care Act is working for thousands of families across Washington state who can access health care more easily as a result of the law that was enacted five years ago today, said Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02.

“The Affordable Care Act has opened the door to health care for millions of people nationwide who otherwise would not have been able to afford coverage. Five years in, the uninsured rate is at its lowest recorded level and health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in nearly 50 years. The law is working. People can access the coverage they need to stay healthy and more financially stable.

“Washington state is a nationwide leader in expanding people’s access to health care, and our state experienced the fourth biggest drop in the nation in our uninsured rate last year. Thousands of people in the Second District can more easily access preventive care like wellness visits and cancer screenings, including about 102,000 seniors on Medicare. And people in our region, including up to 36,000 children, no longer have to worry about getting denied coverage because of preexisting medical conditions.

“I have heard from people in Northwest Washington who were able to find coverage that better fit their needs, and who otherwise would not have been able to afford health coverage. Even as Republicans continue to hold votes to repeal this successful law, I will keep working to protect access to affordable health coverage for the thousands of hardworking families and individuals across the Pacific Northwest who are benefitting from the law,” Larsen said.

President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010. More information about the health care law and Larsen’s support for it is available here.

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