Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1217 - Repeal of the Affordable Care Act's Prevention and Public Health Fund

(House)

(Rep. Pitts, R-PA, and 3 cosponsors)

The Affordable Care Act made significant improvements to our Nation’s health care system that are helping to improve individuals' health and give American families and small business owners more control of their own health care. These important changes include: ending the worst practices of insurance companies; giving uninsured individuals and small business owners the same kind of choice of private health insurance that Members of Congress have; and bringing down the cost of health care for families and businesses while also reducing Federal budget deficits.

The Affordable Care Act also created the Prevention and Public Health Fund to assist State and community efforts to prevent illness and promote health, so that all Americans can lead longer, more productive lives. The Fund invests $15 billion over 10 years to help prevent disease, detect it early, and manage conditions before they become severe. By concentrating on the causes of chronic disease, the Affordable Care Act helps move the Nation from a focus on sickness and disease to one based on wellness and prevention.

As the President indicated in the State of the Union, the Administration is eager to work with the Congress to improve the Affordable Care Act by making care better and more affordable. Rather than making refinements to improve the law, H.R. 1217 simply proposes to eliminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund and rescind funds. The bill neither advances the key objectives of the Affordable Care Act of better and more affordable care nor offers alternative solutions for meeting these important objectives. It instead repeals the Prevention and Public Health Fund and could worsen the Nation's health and increase system costs by defunding prevention activities such as programs that promote physical activity, reduce the burden of chronic disease, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use.

The Administration will continue to work with the Congress to responsibly implement the Affordable Care Act. However, the Administration will strongly oppose legislation that attempts to erode the important provisions of the Affordable Care Act that are making health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans. If the President is presented with legislation that would eliminate funding or repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto it.