E56 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks January 12, 2017 He is the founder of the Sonoma County Assuming Texas premiums grew in line with 4,960 times Texas Medicare beneficiaries Grape Growers Association and the Sonoma the national average in 2016, family premiums avoided an unnecessary return to the hospital County Vineyard Technical Group, which sup- in Texas are $5,400 lower today than if growth in 2015. port our community by discussing and imple- had matched the pre-ACA decade. More coordinated care: The ACA encour- menting the best practices in grape produc- (5) Better value through the 80/20 rule: aged groups of doctors, hospitals, and other tion. Because of the ACA, health insurance com- health care providers to come together to pro- Mr. Speaker, Richard Thomas has been a panies must spend at least 80 cents of each vide coordinated high-quality care to the Medi- leader in the transformation of Sonoma Coun- premium dollar on health care or care im- care patients they serve. 37 Accountable Care ty into some of the best of Wine Country. He provements, rather than administrative costs Organizations (ACOs) in Texas now offer is respected as a world-class educator and like salaries or marketing, or else give con- Medicare beneficiaries the opportunity to re- our Sonoma community considers him the sumers a refund;. ceive higher quality, more coordinated care. Dean of Sonoma County grape production. Texans with employer coverage have re- Now is not the time to undermine or slow Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor ceived $20,082,448 in insurance refunds since the ability of our insurance providers to ad- him here today and congratulate him on this 2012. dress growing threats and active cases of well-deserved award. With respect to Medicaid, 4,770,229 people Americans’ health crises. f in Texas are covered by Medicaid or the Chil- Accordingly, I urge all Members to join me dren’s Health Insurance Program, including in protecting the gains achieved by the Afford- IN CELEBRATION OF THE LIVES 3,512,929 children and 374,617 seniors and able Healthcare Act. IMPROVED BY THE AFFORDABLE people with disabilities covered by both Med- f CARE ACT IN TEXAS icaid and Medicare. The ACA expanded Medicaid eligibility and PERSONAL EXPLANATION HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE strengthened the program for those already el- OF TEXAS igible. HON. XAVIER BECERRA OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES An estimated 1,107,000 Texans could have health insurance today if Texas expanded IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, January 12, 2017 Medicaid under the ACA. Thursday, January 12, 2017 Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a sen- Coverage improves access to care, financial Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, I was unable ior member of both the Judiciary Committee security, and health; expansion would result in to cast my floor votes on January 10 and 11, and the Homeland Security Committee, I rise an estimated 127,000 more Texans getting all 2017. in celebration of the over 1 million Texans who needed care, 157,400 fewer Texans struggling Had I been present for the votes, I would have gained healthcare coverage under the to pay medical bills, and 1,330 avoided deaths have voted ‘‘no’’ on roll call vote number 26, Affordable Health Care Act, and the millions of each year. ‘‘no’’ on roll call vote number 27, ‘‘no’’ on roll Americans more whose lives have been expo- 406,000 Texans, or an estimated 23 percent call vote number 28, ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote nentially improved by access to substantial in- of those who could gain Medicaid coverage number 29, ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote number 30, creases in life-saving coverage. through expansion, have a mental illness or ‘‘no’’ on roll call vote number 31, ‘‘yes’’ on roll The data show that the uninsured rate in substance use disorder. call vote number 34, ‘‘no’’ on roll call vote Texas has fallen by 28 percent since the Af- Texas could be saving millions in uncom- number 35, ‘‘no’’ on roll call vote number 36, fordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in 2010, pensated care costs. Instead of spending $1 ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote number 37, ‘‘yes’’ on roll translating into 1,781,000 Texans gaining cov- billion on uncompensated care, which in- call vote number 38, ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote erage. creases costs for everyone, Texas could be number 39, ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote number 40, In addition to residents who would otherwise getting $5 billion in federal support to provide ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote number 41, ‘‘yes’’ on roll be uninsured, millions more Texans with em- low-income adults with much needed care. call vote number 42, ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote Children, people with disabilities, and sen- ployer, Medicaid, individual market, or Medi- number 43, ‘‘yes’’ on roll call vote number 44, iors can more easily access Medicaid cov- care coverage have also benefited from new and ‘‘no’’ on roll call vote number 45. protections as a result of the law. erage. The ACA streamlined Medicaid eligi- With respect to employer coverage, bility processes, eliminating hurdles so that f 13,709,000 people in Texas are covered vulnerable Texans could more easily access TEXAN VICTOR LOVELADY KILLED through employer-sponsored health plans. and maintain coverage. IN ALGERIAN TERRORIST ATTACK Since the ACA was enacted in 2010, this Texas can better fight opioids. Under the group has seen: ACA, CMS provided technical assistance that HON. TED POE (1) An end to annual and lifetime limits: is giving Texas the opportunity to strengthen OF TEXAS Before the ACA, 7,536,000 Texans with em- Medicaid services for people struggling with IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ployer or individual market coverage had a opioid abuse or other substance use disorders lifetime limit on their insurance policy. (SUDs). Thursday, January 12, 2017 That meant their coverage could end exactly With respect to Medicare, 3,765,946 people Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, January 17 when they needed it most. in Texas are covered by Medicare. The ACA marks the fourth anniversary of the death of The ACA prohibits annual and lifetime limits strengthened the Medicare Trust Fund, ex- Victor Lovelady from Atascocita, Texas. Mr. on policies, so all Texans with employer plans tending its life by over a decade. In addition, Lovelady was killed by al Qaeda terrorists in now have coverage that’s there when they Medicare enrollees have benefited from: Algeria while he was working at a BP gas fa- need it. Lower costs for prescription drugs: Because cility. I rise to tell his story again, as I have (2) Young adults covered until age 26: the ACA is closing the prescription drug donut done on this floor before, because it is a story An estimated 205,000 young adults in hole, 346,750 Texas seniors are saving $366 that reminds us about what it means to be a Texas have benefited from the ACA provision million on drugs in 2015, an average of $1,057 true American hero. that allows kids to stay on their parents’ health per beneficiary. You can learn a lot about a man when trial insurance up to age 26. Free preventive services: The ACA added comes. The trial that came upon Victor (3) Free preventive care: coverage of an annual wellness visit and elimi- Lovelady on January 16, 2013 told us a lot Under the ACA, health plans must cover nated cost-sharing for recommended preven- about who Victor was. Victor had been on the preventive services—like flu shots, cancer tive services such as cancer screenings. In job in Algeria only about a week when terror- screenings, contraception, and mammo- 2015, 1,746,043 Texas seniors, or 72 percent ists stormed the gas plant where he was work- grams—at no extra cost to consumers. of all Texas seniors enrolled in Medicare Part ing. Victor was in a break room when one of This provision benefits 10,278,005 people in B, took advantage of at least one free preven- his coworkers burst through the door, bleeding Texas, most of whom have employer cov- tive service. from a gunshot wound in the stomach. Seeing erage. Fewer hospital mistakes: The ACA intro- the man in need, Victor jumped into action, (4) Slower premium growth: duced new incentives for hospitals to avoid dressing his wound and caring for him. Know- The average premium for Texas families preventable patient harms and avoidable re- ing the terrorists were working their way with employer coverage grew 3.5 percent per admissions. Hospital readmissions for Texas through the plant, Victor helped hide the year from 2010–2015, compared with 8.1 per- Medicare beneficiaries dropped 6 percent be- wounded man in a food container. The gun- cent over the previous decade. tween 2010 and 2015, which translates into shots grew closer. Victor selflessly first helped VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:01 Jan 13, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A12JA8.002 E12JAPT1 smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REMARKS January 12, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E57 other coworkers in the break room climb up PERSONAL EXPLANATION leadership and tireless advocacy for the peo- into a false ceiling. Only after they had ple of Hesperia. I look forward to working climbed into the ceiling did Victor try and do HON. LUIS V. GUTIE´RREZ closely with her in her new role as a member the same but fell. Before he knew it, terrorists OF ILLINOIS of the Hesperia City Council. stormed into the break room and took him IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES hostage.