GLEN ROCK, NJ – Today, Thursday, October 10, 2019, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer responded to the announcement of an 8.7 percent average cost increase for 2020 health insurance plans sold through the healthcare.gov individual marketplace, noting the consistent attacks on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that have disrupted the individual health insurance marketplace and the lack of action from Congress in protecting families from the looming Health Insurance Tax.

“When it comes to taxes and rising health care costs, the people of New Jersey have had more than enough. They want and deserve lower taxes and our hardworking families deserve more affordable health care and insurance. But when we have these constant attacks on the ACA — something that I’m always working to improve, protect, and stabilize — our health care marketplace unfortunately has to respond to that uncertainty with increased costs,” said U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer. “That’s why I’ve cosponsored the Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2019, which stops the tax on health care plans in its tracks and provides relief for families whose premiums would increase from the Health Insurance Tax.”

Gottheimer continued, “I will keep working across the aisle to protect our health care and deliver commonsense tax cuts for Fifth District families.”

Gottheimer is an original cosponsor of H.R. 1398, the Health Insurance Tax Relief Act, to stop the Health Insurance Tax from going into effect until after 2021 and to save American consumers hundreds of dollars. This tax would further increase premiums for families and small businesses while also hitting seniors and those with disabilities particularly hard.

Gottheimer was proud to vote in support of H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act in May, which included investing in states like New Jersey to establish their own state-based marketplaces, which New Jersey is currently in the process of creating.

The bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which Gottheimer co-chairs, has helped lead efforts to reform the individual marketplace, keep insurance premiums affordable, and reduce the burden on small businesses providing health care to their employees. The Problem Solver Caucus also released a set of drug pricing principles this year, to increase generic competition, boost R&D, and lower out of pocket spending at the pharmacy counter.

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