APIAHF

The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) submits this written testimony for the record for the September 25, 2017 hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance entitled “Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson Proposal.”
We believe it is time for Congress to put aside attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and instead take needed steps to ensure that all Americans are able to afford and access health insurance that meets their needs. APIAHF is the nation’s leading policy organization working to advance the health and well-being of over 20 million Asian Americans (AA), Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) across the U.S. and territories. From our work with AA and & NHPI communities, we understand the role the ACA has played in improving access to health insurance for communities of color across the nation. Since 2010, the uninsured rate has fallen from 15.1 percent to 6.5 percent in 2016 for AAs and from 14.5 percent to 7.7 percent for NHPIs, higher than any other racial group. In addition, the uninsured rate fell from 17.8% to 9.4% for African Americans, 30.9% to 18% for Latinos, and 24.2% to 14.4% for American Indians and Alaska Natives.