Thankful for Healthy Friends and Family
During this time of the year, many gather with family and friends and spend quality time over a nice meal, conversation, and maybe the search for a great bargain. It’s also a time when folks reflect on the blessings of the past year, including the health and well-being of loved ones.
We know that taking care of our loved ones is extremely important and at NCLR we continue our work to ensure families across the country have every opportunity to lead a healthy life, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn. One of the ways we are doing this is by connecting as many individuals and families as possible with health insurance and the security it can provide. Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law in 2010, 17.6 million Americans, including four million Latinos, have gained quality, affordable health coverage.
Thanks to the law, more people have the chance to live healthy and happy lives. For example, young adults can remain insured through their parents’ health plan and people with preexisting conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and cancer can no longer be denied health coverage. In addition, more adults and children in working families can sign up for free and low-cost insurance through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Not only does the ACA increase opportunities for health coverage, the law improves the quality of that coverage, providing 72 preventive services for free. These services include screenings for chronic diseases and conditions like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Access to preventive services can make sure certain health conditions don’t occur in the first place or lower the risk that they do.
So as we spend time with and give thanks for our family and friends, we are reminded that access to health insurance is an important part of taking care of ourselves and our loved ones and at NCLR we are committed to shaping a healthier and brighter future us all.