Tucson, AZ– With the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on the horizon, a wave of apprehension is sweeping the nation regarding the fate of the Affordable Care Act.
Among them is Jennifer Longdon, who serves as the chief external affairs officer for the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers.
Longdon, a former state lawmaker from the Democratic party who ceased her representation of Arizona’s fifth legislative district in January, expressed her concerns to KTAR News 92.3 FM regarding the future of the law that faced attempts to dismantle it in 2017.
“I think that folks who don’t know what life was like before the Affordable Care Act don’t realize how bad it could be,” Longdon said. “People don’t face bankruptcy because of medical costs anymore — not like we used to see.”
Future of the Affordable Care Act
During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump made a key commitment to dismantle and substitute the Affordable Care Act. Nonetheless, his attempts to overturn it faced defeat in 2017 — primarily because of the late Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain’s dissenting vote.
Since 2014, the legislation has ensured that 50 million Americans have access to affordable healthcare coverage, as reported by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
While in office, President Joe Biden implemented temporary subsidies through the American Rescue Plan Act. In 2022, he further expanded those improved subsidies with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
With Congress approaching a critical choice regarding the potential extension of enhanced subsidies that are set to end on December 31, 2025, residents of Arizona might be contemplating the implications this decision could have on their ability to access affordable health care.
Ex-Arizona legislator discusses the prospects of the Affordable Care Act
Longdon remarked that this coverage transformed the landscape for numerous Americans — herself included.
“Before the Affordable Care Act, I was injured in 2004 and while I was in a medically induced coma, I was disenrolled from my health insurance by a technicality,” Longdon said. “As a result, there were more than $1 million in bills the first year between ICU and respiratory support and physical therapy. It just goes on and on.”
After losing her health insurance, the mounting bills ultimately led her to declare bankruptcy.
“I lost my son’s college fund up to that point in time, my home, everything. We lost everything as a result of my spinal cord injury,” Longdon said.
Arizona and the Affordable Care Act
The upcoming decision in Congress holds significant implications for Arizonans who are currently benefiting from subsidized coverage through the ACA. In the absence of legislative measures, there is a risk of premiums soaring, potentially leaving some residents without any coverage at all.
The ACA abolished coverage denials for pre-existing conditions and eliminated lifetime limits on insurance payouts.
“Once the Affordable Care Act was passed, pre-existing conditions were no longer a disqualifier for health care. Lifetime caps no longer existed,” Longdon said. “My bills from my first year were more than $1 million and I could have blown through a lifetime cap for coverage at that time.”
Longdon emphasized the importance of protecting the legislation that has benefited her and countless others, urging residents of Arizona to take action to safeguard its future.
