BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) debated Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) on Fox News Sunday and renewed his long-held promise to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reach sensible solutions that will improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and help ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.

After his appearance, Senator King released the following statement underscoring his comments:

“The ACA is already beginning to make affordable, high-quality health care a reality for millions of Americans when, before, it had only been a luxury, or even worse, just a dream,” Senator King said. “We need to work together in a bipartisan way to build upon those successes and fix the law’s imperfections so that every American has access to the health care they deserve.

“We can’t go back to a time when health care companies could deny coverage because of a preexisting condition or when hitting an annual or lifetime cap meant that you’d have to dig deep into your pockets or even have to choose between your health and other necessities. We all recognize the law isn’t perfect, but rather than go back, let’s put aside politics, come together, and find solutions that will help the American people.”

Senator King, a strong supporter of the ACA, has long said that he will work with members on both sides of the aisle who are committed to working in a thoughtful and pragmatic way to find common-ground, compromise, and forge substantive solutions that will build upon the many benefits that the health care law is already beginning to offer millions of people across the country.

In pursuit of that goal, and in resistance to calls to simply repeal the law, Senator King listened to and acted upon the concerns of Mainers by joining a group of like-minded, centrist colleagues last week in offering commonsense solutions that take steps to make the Affordable Care Act work better for individuals, families, and businesses across Maine and America. The bills cosponsored by Senator King would modify the law to provide greater choice and increase the affordability of health care plans as well as improve the flexibility of the law for transitioning workers and businesses. They are:

The Expanded Consumer Choice Act

Provides a new lower cost, high-deductible option called the Copper Plan, in addition to the existing Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze options in the marketplace that would give consumers more control over their own coverage, spur competition, and, most importantly, increase affordability. The new Copper Plan would meet the essential benefits laid out by the Affordable Care Act.   

Supporters: Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Communicating for America, Evolution1, Healthcare Leadership Council, National Association for the Self-Employed, National Association of Manufacturers, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, National Retail Federation, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, The National Grange

The Small Business Tax Credits Accessibility Act

Improves flexibility, increases affordability, and eases the transition for our small businesses by making Small Business Health Care Tax Credits available for a longer period of time and accessible to more employers. Small businesses would be able to spend less time and money worrying about how they will provide coverage for their employees. Expanding the current tax credits to include businesses with fewer than 50 employees – instead of the current cap at 25 employees – would provide a real benefit to hundreds of thousands of small businesses and allow them to offer quality care while recruiting and retaining talented employees.

Supporters: National Association of Health Underwriters

Small Business Stability Act

Expands the option for voluntary coverage to employers with fewer than 100 employees, about 98 percent of all businesses. This will provide certainty to small businesses as they make decisions for their businesses and flexibility for planning and growth.

Supporters:  National Retail Federation, National Restaurant Association, and National Association of Home Builders 

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