FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ja-Rei Wang, jwang@caringacross.org, 631-338-2567
Statement by Josephine Kalipeni, Caring Across Generations
WASHINGTON (October 22, 2020)—The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved U.S. Federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court, clearing the way for a full Senate confirmation vote on Monday. If appointed, Judge Barrett could be the deciding vote in an upcoming case arguing the constitutionality of the individual mandate, a centerpiece of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which has significantly expanded access to health insurance coverage for millions of Americans, including previously family caregivers who are more likely to have been forced out of work due to their caregiving responsibilities and are consequently uninsured or under-insured, in addition to people with disabilities and aging adults not covered by Medicare. The landmark health legislation also notably instituted cost controls to even out prices for medications and health services across the country and incentivized states to invest more in home care so that more seniors and people with disabilities could live independently in their homes.
Judge Barrett’s past commentary on the ACA suggests that she could rule to repeal it, which could increase the costs of home-based care and other critical care services, and exacerbate the psychological stress and economic instability felt by individuals and families trying to care for themselves and their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, according to national caregiver advocacy group Caring Across Generations.
Below is a statement from Josephine Kalipeni, director of policy and federal affairs at Caring Across Generations.
“The Affordable Care Act is single-handedly the most transformative policy on the books for family caregivers, aging adults and people with disabilities since the Social Security Act of 1972. The legislation ensured that family caregivers, many of whom work in low-wage jobs or part-time positions that don’t provide health insurance, can pay for the medical care they and their loved ones need.
“Under ACA, if my mom had to stop working because of her care needs, she could still have affordable coverage outside of her employer’s health insurance without having to worry about her pre-existing conditions. Repealing ACA will increase the financial and health stress that millions of caregivers and women of color, such as myself, experience while trying to navigate care for ourselves and our loved ones.”
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Caring Across Generations is a national movement of families, caregivers, people with disabilities, and aging Americans working to transform the way we care in this country. By harnessing the power of online and grassroots organizing and culture change work, we are shifting how our nation values caregiving and calling for policy solutions that enable all of us to live well and age with dignity. For more information, please visit http://caringacross.org.