(FARGO, ND – September 16, 2013) – State Senator Tim Mathern of Fargo released the following statement after participating in a conference call earlier today with President Barack Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

“I was honored to be invited to participate in a conference call earlier today with President Obama and Secretary Sebelius to discuss next month’s launch of the Health Insurance Marketplace.

“The Affordable Care Act is an historic piece of legislation that will achieve near universal health insurance coverage for all Americans. The ACA guarantees affordable health care for all Americans and provides subsidies to individuals and small businesses to purchase insurance. The ACA is built upon market-based solutions, which was first advocated in the 1990s by the conservative Heritage Foundation and later implemented by then-Governor Mitt Romney in Massachusetts.

“At the heart of the ACA is the plan to allow private insurance companies to actually compete for your business. This is why the new health care insurance marketplace websites are so important. These sites will go up on October 1 and will allow citizens to compare plans and prices. Citizens will be able to find a health insurance plan that will fit their individual needs and budget. But, just as importantly, for the first time ever, citizens cannot be denied coverage or charged more for a pre-existing condition or for having an illness.

“I encourage all North Dakotans to learn more by logging onto healthcare.gov or getcoveredamerica.org. I also encourage everyone to take advantage of this historic opportunity and utilize these marketplace websites. With proper information, people will be able to make good decisions.”

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Senator Tim Mathern serves on the North Dakota Legislature’s Health Care Reform Review Committee. He has been a promoter of health insurance reform since his first election to the North Dakota Senate in 1986.

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From: Dem-NPL News