Health Care Reform Delivers $1.1B to Millions of Americans -- June 22, 2012
Dear Friend:
Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov.
In this week's Carson Courier:
- Health Care Reform Law Delivers $1.1B to Millions of Americans
- New Immigration Directive Protects Young People, Prioritizes Public Safety
- Time Running Out for Student Loan Solution
Affordable Care Act Delivers $1.1B to Millions of Americans
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today that nearly 12.8 million Americans will receive health insurance rebates totaling $1.1 billion this year. Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurers are held accountable for the money actually spent on medical care. This regulation, better known as the 80/20 Rule, requires an insurer to issue rebates if it spends less than 80 percent of premium dollars on legitimate health care expenses. As a result, 280,000 Hoosiers will receive over $14 million in rebates.
While the Affordable Care Act is far from perfect, we cannot ignore the successes that have come from this legislation. We must continue finding ways to strengthen our health care system, lower costs, and expand access to affordable, quality health care.
For more information on the 80/20 Rule, click here.
New Immigration Directive Protects Young People, Prioritizes Public Safety
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced a new "deferred action" process that enables certain young people, brought to the U.S. by no fault of their own, to continue living and working here without the fear of deportation. This new policy enables the DHS to focus its resources on the removal and incarceration of individuals including immigrants that pose a serious threat to public safety and national security.
Under this new process, the DHS may grant applicants, on a case-by-case basis, authorization to work in the U.S. for a period of two years, subject to renewal. Deferred Action is not automatic: individuals are responsible for satisfying specific criteria outlined by DHS. While the deferred action policy offers temporary relief from deportation, it does not provide a pathway to citizenship.
I support the President's directive which enables DHS to focus its limited resources on promoting public safety and ensuring our national security. It is, however, a temporary solution to a problem that can only be addressed by Congress. This is why I continue to proudly support the DREAM Act which provides such a pathway for qualified individuals. In the American tradition, these young people who have pursued education and military service are eager to participate in our nation's future. I applaud them for their efforts in building something better for the next generation.
For more information on Deferred Action, click here.
Time Running Out for Student Loan Solution
Over the past few weeks, Republican leadership in Congress has demonstrated a deliberate unwillingness to compromise on issues important to middle and working class families. In just 9 days, student loan interest rates will double, and more than 74 million Americans will be hit with an additional $1,000 in fees. It is time to put politics aside in order to ensure that our students are able to affordably pursue higher education.
I call upon my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to work together for the benefit of all Americans, especially the hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers who will be affected by this rate increase. We can't afford to wait any longer.
To read more about my efforts to preserve access to higher education, click here and here.
Thank you for reading theCarson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. For more information, visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov, my Congressional Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanAndreCarson and follow me on Twitter@RepAndreCarson. I value your views and your input, which help me better represent the people of Indiana's 7th District.
Sincerely,
André Carson
Member of Congress