The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) submits this written testimony for the record for the February 1, 2017 hearing before the House Subcommittee on Health entitled “Patient Relief from Collapsing Health Exchanges.”
As the nation’s oldest and largest health policy and public health organization working with Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities, APIAHF provides a voice in the nation’s capital for AA and NHPI communities. APIAHF works toward health equity and health justice for all by influencing policy, mobilizing communities, and strengthening programs and organizations to improve the health of the over 20 million AAs and nearly 1 million NHPIs in the United States.
This hearing seeks to address concerns about the effect the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has had on the individual health insurance market. The record of evidence demonstrates that the ACA has successfully done what it was designed to do – reduce the number of uninsured persons in the U.S. To date, 20 million Americans have coverage they can afford and rely upon1, including nearly 2 million AAs and NHPIs who are eligible for coverage under the ACA.
APIAHF has worked to protect and implement the ACA since its passage. Since 2012, APIAHF and partners have worked to outreach, educate and enroll nearly 1 million consumers through Action for Health Justice, a national collaborative of more than 70 AA and NHPI national and local community-based organizations and health centers. These community-based partner organizations are located in over 20 states and hear the real effects of AAs and NHPIs gaining coverage through the ACA.
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