Fairness Project Recognizes 13th Anniversary of Affordable Care Act

Voters in Seven States Have Now Chosen Expand Medicaid through Ballot Measures

Washington, D.C. — In recognition of the 13th anniversary of President Barack Obama signing the Affordable Care Act into law, Fairness Project Executive Director Kelly Hall issued the following statement Thursday:

“Since the landmark Affordable Care Act was signed into law 13 years ago today, we have witnessed millions of voters step up to carry the torch forward and expand health care access to as many Americans as possible. In all seven states where voters have had the opportunity to vote on a ballot measure to expand Medicaid — Idaho, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah — they have passed it. The Fairness Project is proud to have been part of these successful coalitions which fought to secure health care access to more than a million patients, save state budgets hundreds of millions of dollars every year, protect vulnerable communities, and keep rural hospitals open.

“Despite this, many state and federal politicians today are still more interested in political games than saving lives, and they are working to roll back health care access and undo the substantial progress made by the ACA. But the past 13 years have shown that they are on the opposite side of the voters on this issue. Americans have chosen again and again to expand the benefits of the ACA, even in deep red states, because they agree that more people having access to health care makes our country stronger, not weaker. The Fairness Project remains committed to securing health care justice for all Americans and will continue its work to empower voters through direct democracy.”

Since 2016, the Fairness Project has instrumentally supported all of the successful ballot measures to expand Medicaid in Idaho, Maine, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, South Dakota, and Utah, bringing access to health coverage to an additional 1 million Americans. Last year, the Fairness Project was also part of a coalition that defeated Amendment C in South Dakota, a transparent but failed attempt by partisan legislators to block Medicaid expansion by requiring supermajority approval for citizen-led ballot measures.