Media

"“Today's signing of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act by President Obama offers a lifeline of care, treatment, and support to low-income Americans living with this disease. Every year, this legislation guarantees access to lifesaving medical services, primary care, and medications for more than 500,000 patients, nearly half of all those living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S..."

“Today's report provides evidence that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is doing what we promised: bringing our economy back from the brink of depression and creating jobs through direct funding, tax cuts for 95 percent of Americans, and the ripple effect of all that combined investment."

Health insurance reform won't happen overnight. It will take several years to implement reforms and establish the public option and the Exchange, a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can get lower rates like large groups. But there are steps that are taken right away in the Affordable Health Care for America Act to improve and preserve people's access to quality, affordable health care--from increasing funding for community health centers to prohibiting insurance companies from treating domestic violence as a "pre-existing condition." Here are the top 14 provisions that take effect immediately:

1. BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE

“The Affordable Health Care for America Act is founded on key principles of American success: opportunity, choice, competition, and innovation. We have listened to the American people, we are putting forth a bill that reflects our best values and addresses our greatest challenges..."

“Small businesses are the engines of our economic growth and the number one source of good-paying jobs nationwide. As we emerge from this recession, our recovery will depend on small business owners and entrepreneurs - the men and women who take risks, embrace opportunity, hire workers and pay them a decent wage, and reach for their piece of the American dream..."