Van Hollen Introduces Additional Legislation to Stabilize Health Care Marketplace

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (both D-MD) and 19 of their colleagues to introduce the Marketplace Certainty Act to help stabilize the health care marketplace by permanently appropriating the cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) included in the Affordable Care Act and making CSRs available to more Americans.

Cost-sharing reductions are a discount available on the individual marketplace that lowers the amount families have to pay for deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Senators Van Hollen and Cardin have criticized the Trump Administration for playing politics with the American health care system, creating uncertainty and destabilizing the individual marketplace with actions like threatening to withhold these payments, which were used by over 6 million Americans.

"From day one, Democrats have been ready to work on a bipartisan basis to strengthen and improve the Affordable Care Act. The Marketplace Certainty Act is exactly the type of common-sense, results-driven legislation that will do just that," said Senator Van Hollen. "I urge my Republican friends to listen to their constituents - it's time to abandon their effort to dismantle our health care system and work with us to lower costs and provide stability."

Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-VT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Mark Warner (D-VA) are also co-sponsors of the Marketplace Certainty Act.