Committee will come to order. Without objection the chair is authorized to declare a vereces of the committee at any time. This full Committee Hearing is convened regarding the administration ee administrations attack on the aca. I recognize myself for five minutes to give an Opening Statement. We are hear today because of on march 25th, 2019, the Trump Administration filed a two sentence letter with the United States court of appeals with the fifth circuit reversing its own previous position in the case of texas versus United States and asserting for the first time that it would not defend any portion of the Affordable Care act in the court. If the Trump Administrations position prevails and the entire aca is struck down, there will be catastrophic implications for millions of americans in the entire United StatesHealth Care System. Ive often said that voting for the Affordable Care act was the most important vote of my career. And let me tell you why. When Congress Passed the aca in 2010, we enshrined into law the promise that all americans have the right to accessible, affordable, Health Insurance coverage. The aca established new protections and to end legalized discrimination against approximately 130 Million People in the United States with preexisting conditions. The aca authorized states to expand their Medicaid Programs and approximately 17 million americans gained coverage as a result. The aca created Online Marketplaces for consumers to purchase insurance with Financial Assistance through premium tax credits and costsharing reduction payments, and today, nearly 9 million individuals receive Financial Assistance to obtain coverage through the individual market. The aca improved the quality of coverage for millions more by requiring the plans cover a set of essential health benefits, provide coverage for Preventative Services such as immunizations and screen tests and allow young adults to stay on their parents plans until they turn 26. If the Trump Administration is successful, all of these federal protections would disappear. People with preexisting conditions like diabetes, cancer, hiv, asthma, Substance Use disorder, or even pregnancy, could be denied Health Care Coverage or charged more. Babies born with Health Conditions could be uninsurable for their entire lives. And Insurance Companies in the individual and Small Group Markets would not have to cover essential services such as preventative care, hospitalizations, emergency services, Maternity Care, and Prescription Drugs. However, since President Trump took office in january 2017, Neither Administration nor Congressional Republicans have offered a plan to replace the aca that would prevent coverage losses or the elimination of Consumer Protections. House republicans have voted 69 times to repeal the aca. The last proposal, which failed to pass the senate in 2017, would have increased the number of uninsured by 21 Million People. Theres something wrong with that picture. During the 2016 campaign, President Trump promised repeatedly that he would come up with a plan to replace the aca but never did. Never did. Now that hes running for president again, he promises promises have now returned. Youll be hearing them shortly, if you have not already heard them. In april, he promised to release, and i quote, a really great, end quote, plan. After the 2020 election. Unfortunately, nobody has seen it. Ironically, if the Trump Administration is successful in striking down the entire aca, it would directly undermine many of their own policy goals. Including tackling the Opioid Epidemic, lowering Prescription Drug prices and ending the hiv epidemic. We wanted to hear from the administration about why they suddenly reversed their position in litigation. We wanted to know what the administrations plan is for millions of people. If they went in court and invalidate the entire aca. We invited the acting director of the office of management and budget, russell vought, to testify at todays hearing, but he declined. Apparently, he did not want to answer these crucial questions that affect so many millions of americans with their with something thats very personal, and thats their health. Ive often said to my proteges that one thing that we must always ask ourselves every day, i think, and that is what is the enemy of my destiny . What is the enemy of my destiny . What will stop me from reaching where god meant for me to go . And theres one common denominator that i noticed that all that applies to all of us, health. Health. And enjoying a life where you can truly pursue happiness. So although the Trump Administration refuses to answer these basic and critical questions, were very fortunate to have a panel of legal and policy experts and patient witnesses who can tell us exactly what it will mean if the Trump Administration is successful in eliminating the Affordable Care act. And i ask our entire committee not to be blinded by what we see. Dont be blinded. The experts are here. Theyll let you know. They are the witnesses. They are on the front line. They deal with these matters every day. And then there are others who have gone through and continue to go through difficult circumstances. I can relate. Now that im on a walker and ive learned what it is to be disabled. And it is a tremendous task in most instances just to get dressed. I got it. And i often say to our witnesses who have come to share with us their personal stories, thank you. Thank you. For taking your pain, turning it into a passion to do your purpose. Pain, passion, purpose. And so they traveled from across the country, from utah, missouri, pennsylvania, new york, to share their stories with us. Theyre here to tell us what life was like for them and their loved ones before the aca was passed. So i thank you again. And with that, i yield now to the very distinguished gentleman from ohio, the Ranking Member of our committee, mr. Jordan. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I, too, want to thank our witnesses for making the trek here and being willing to share their story. I was hoping today that we could have a discussion about Real Solutions that will make the lives of Everyday Americans better, talk about the costs of health care, access to health care, coverage, preexisting conditions. Theres no one on this committee who would support denying coverage to americans with preexisting conditions. I was hoping we could focus on those issues, but unfortunately, like so many other hearings in this committee, were not. Rather than working toward bipartisan solutions, this committee is once again looking to score political points by attacking anything the Trump Administration does to improve the health care for American People. Next door in the Judiciary Committee, we reported out multiple bills that would have had meaningful impact on the cost of Prescription Drugs. Worked for months to cut down red tape, make improvements to how affordable generic drugs come to market. Those bills were all bipartisan. I was pleased to vote for them. In fact, many of them passed the Judiciary Committee unanimously. We could be talking about bipartisan substantive issues here today, instead, instead were going to talk about why the democrats are upset that the administration thinks americans deserve Something Better than the failed ideas of obamacare. Under obamacare, make no mistake, americans saw their premiums skyrocket and their Health Care Choices reduced. The majoritys title for todays hearing is trumps efforts to undermine the aca. Undermine the aca . Think about what we were told when this bill passed now, what, nine years ago . I call them the nine lies of obamacare. Think about this. Remember this one . If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. You all remember that one . How about the one, if you like your plan, you can keep your plan . We were told by the president of the United States premiums were going to go down. He then got more specifics, premiums will go down on average 1,500. He said deductibles would decline. Five false statements right there. Oh, remember this one . This was in the fall of 2013. Remember this one . They told us the website was going to work. They told us the website was secure. Your information would be secure there. They told us that these coops were wonderful, end all be all creations. 23 were created. Guess how many are still in existence . Four. The other 19 went bankrupt. Oh, the other ninth lie, first they told us it was not a tax. Then they told us it was a tax. You cant tax at all, individual mandate is gone, its a penalty. Nine different lies were told about obamacare. The title is called how can you undermine something thats already failed . I dont expect my democratic colleagues to acknowledge it, but the Trump Administration has worked to increase competition, transparency, and quality of care in our health care markets. Increased competition, transparency, and quality of care are all goals we all should share. I dont know if theres anything the Trump Administration could do, though, that would satisfy my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Timing of this hearing is also particularly troubling. Just yesterday the 5th circuit began oral arguments in a case that could invalidate obamacare due to recent changes in the law. The administration chose not to defend obamacare in this appeal. That decision is entirely consistent with similar actions taken by other administrations in the past for other laws. But here we are. Democrats sought to have the director of omb here this morning to testify about how the Trump Administration made this decision. Could have had a witness from hhs. Could have had a witness from doj. No, they wanted someone from omb. Make no mistake, this isnt about serious congressional oversight. This hearing is about trying to manufacture a controversy based on Anonymous Sources and news reports. This hearing is just another attack on President Trump, and its disappointing. We could have had a productive discussion today about Real Health Care policy. Hopefully we can still do some of that. I hope we can. I know thats what our side is going to try to do. Could have had a real discussion of how to make health care more competitive, more transparent, more Cost Effective and with better quality of care. I hope at some point this committee will stop its relentless political attacks, and makes a real difference in the lives of our constituents. Again, i want to thank our witnesses coming here to tell your story but i think the country deserves Something Better. Than the lies we were told. Anyone remember the name, Jonathan Gruber . Remember that name . The New York Times called him the architect, the architect, of the Affordable Care act. And hes the guy who was caught on tapes a few years later, remember, calling us all stupid, calling americans stupid, for buying the lies that the Obama Administration told us when they passed this thing. Again, its not my words. Its Jonathan Gruber. The architect of obamacare. But somehow, the minority or the majority says this is a hearing on efforts to undermine a law that was passed with so many false statements made about it. Mr. Chairman, i yield back. Thank you very much. Let me be clear to the witnesses. We want constructive solutions. Believe me. Life is short. I dont waste peoples time. And i damn sure dont waste mine. Now i would ask that our witnesses in a minute stand, in a minute, but let me introduce them first. Abbe gluck, professor of law, director of the Solomon Center for health, law and policy, Yale University law school. Thank you. Frederick isasi is executive director of families usa. David balat is director of right on Health Care Initiatives, texas Public Policy foundation. Paul gibbs is one of our Patient Consumers from west valley, utah. Welcome. Casey dye is another Patient Consumer from monroeville, pennsylvania. Stephanie burton is another one of our Patient Consumers from kansas city, missouri. And i will now yield to the distinguished gentlelady from new york to introduce one of her constituents. I thank you so much, mr. Chairman. It is my honor and pleasure to introduce my good friend and constituent, peter morley. Peter is an outstanding patient advocate, the most effective one i have ever met in my entire life. He is a twotime cancer survivor living with lupus. Peter is an extraordinary advocate for the millions of americans who cant come to congress to advocate for themselves but are living with preexisting conditions, whose lives depend on consistent and sufficient Health Care Coverage that is guaranteed to them under the Affordable Care act. I first met peter two years ago on twitter when he reached out to me to ask what he could do to save health care. He depended on it. Many of his friends depended on it. What can i do . I never dreamed how far he could go. He is a true example of how one person can make a difference. Peter, i said become an advocate. He started in the city of new york going to forums, press conferences, meetings, then expanded it to coming to congress over 21 times, including today, testifying before congress. He has held over 150 meetings with members of congress and senators on both sides of the aisle. He is incredibly effective. He is the voice for the many people that need to know whats happening on social media. He has a huge following. He uses this platform to lift up the struggles, hopes and dreams, of so many people who are struggling with Health Care Issues and his goal is to save the Affordable Care act. Thank you so much for all your dedication, peter, thank you. I want to recognize mr. Roy for an introduction. I thank the chairman. Really quickly want to welcome david balat who is here. Hes recently a constituent in texas 21. He works at the texas Public Policy foundation, also in the 21st Congressional District of texas, austin, texas. David is a longtime, been actively involved in the Health Care Industry and Health Administration and other areas of health. Hes a great expert on health. Glad to have you here, and thank you for representing the great state of texas and texas 21. Thanks, david. Thank you very much. Now, those of you who can stand, please take the oath. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god . Let the record show that the witnesses answered in the affirmative. Thank you. You may be seated. I just want to let you know that the microphones are very sensitive. Speak directly into them. Make sure theyre on when you speak. Nothing like testimony that we cant hear. And without objection, your written statement will be made part of the official record. With that, professor gluck, you are now recognized to give an oral presentation on your testimony. I want to remind the witnesses that we all have your official statements. We want to try to limit this to five minutes. I know i know. I know. Its hard. But we you see all these people here . All them want to ask you all questions. So i just want you to give a statement kind of summarizing. Stay within that five minutes and there will be a