Obama ties Biden priorities to ObamaCare anniversary: ‘We’ve still got more work to do’

Former President Obama tied President Biden’s priorities to expand health care access to the 11th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on Monday, noting that, “We’ve still got more work to do.”

The former president commemorated the anniversary of his health care initiative at a virtual Protect Our Care event, during which he praised the American Rescue Plan that Biden signed earlier this month for giving health care access to 1.3 million additional people. 

Obama said the ACA has served as a “starter home” that the COVID-19 relief package will build upon to further improve access to health insurance. 

“That’s what the American Rescue Plan has now done, building on the success we had in 2009 and 2010, slowly consolidating, protecting, and now building and making even better the kind of health care that we need,” the former president said. 

“We’ve still got more work to do — even with the American Rescue Plan,” he added. 

Under the American Rescue Plan, additional financial subsidies will become available to help those enrolled in the ACA to pay for premiums beginning in April. The assistance is expected to reduce premium costs for millions enrolled in the ACA. 

“The Affordable Care Act, and now the America Rescue Plan, have closed that gap, but there’s still folks falling through cracks,” Obama said. “And it’s all of our jobs to make sure that we build on these previous successes.”

Join me, @ProtectOurCare, and health care advocates from across the country to discuss 11 years of the Affordable Care Act and the work we still need to do to make sure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care. Watch now: https://t.co/Rae2yr8EjZ

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 22, 2021

Many Democratic lawmakers also recognized the ACA anniversary over Twitter, with several mentioning the COVID-19 relief package as progress from the Obama-era health care legislation. 

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) posted that “the Affordable Care Act has helped millions of working families get health care—and the American Rescue Plan builds on that work to lower premiums and help millions more get, and keep, quality affordable coverage.”

11 years later, the Affordable Care Act has helped millions of working families get health care—and the American Rescue Plan builds on that work to lower premiums and help millions more get, and keep, quality affordable coverage.

— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) March 23, 2021

Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) applauded the American Rescue Plan, “which builds on the strong foundation of the ACA to dramatically lower health care costs and expand coverage.”

On the 11th anniversary of the #AffordableCareAct, we also celebrate the American Rescue Plan, which builds on the strong foundation of the ACA to dramatically lower health care costs and expand coverage. Special enrollment period happening now! https://t.co/PtNadjJ2Ju

— Rep. Tom Malinowski (@RepMalinowski) March 23, 2021

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) called on Democrats to “continue to push forward until we achieve guaranteed health care for all.”

Today is the 11th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act which provides life-saving coverage to millions of Americans. Republicans in Congress will never stop trying to strike down this law—we must continue to push forward until we achieve guaranteed health care for all.

— Sen. Cory Booker (@SenBooker) March 23, 2021

Biden is also expected to celebrate the anniversary of the ACA during a Tuesday night speech in Columbus, Ohio.