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Opinion

Klapp: American Rescue Plan is first step to lessen out-of-pocket health care costs

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A recent survey from ALG-POS found that 80% of Americans agree that their health care costs keep going up every year, and more than 70% are struggling with the unpredictability of out-of-pocket costs.

President Biden’s American Rescue Plan was a critical first step.

As a consumer, there is a lot to like in the plan, including for Scottsdale citizens, yet work remains to bring down costs for all when it comes to their health insurance.

In fact, only those in Scottsdale who get their plans via the health care marketplace will see any relief, and, even then, it will only affect their insurance premiums, not out-of-pocket costs such as co-pays and deductibles.

At the center of this legislation is historic expansion of the Affordable Care Act and its marketplaces across the country, improving accessibility and affordability.

An estimated 23.6 million Americans with employer-based coverage have high premium contributions that amount to 10% or more of their annual household income or pay high-out-of-pocket costs that amount to 10% or more of their annual household income. Respectively, this includes 13.9% and 10.8% in all of Arizona.

The American Rescue Plan represents a beginning to bring down these high, out-of-pocket costs.

Editor’s Note: Suzanne Klapp is a Scottsdale resident and former City Council member.