Horsford: It’s Time to End “Sick Care” and Build a Health Care System That Works for Working People
April 14, 2026
WASHINGTON D.C. - Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) today represented House Ways and Means Committee Democrats at a field hearing titled “Modernized Health Care in Practice: Empowering Americans to Live Healthier Lives,” where he delivered a clear message you cannot modernize a system that working people can’t afford to use.
"Making America Healthy Again is not a partisan goal Congressional Democrats drafted, debated, and passed the Patient Access and Affordable Care Act – the most significant expansion of health care coverage in U.S. history that progress is now under attack," said Rep. Horsford. “We cannot seriously claim to empower people to live healthier lives while families can’t afford to see a doctor in the first place.”
Congressman Horsford warned that Republican policies are the cause of higher costs and causing millions of people to be pushed off coverage nationwide.
“As a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, about millions of people will lose their health care – whether through the ACA marketplace, Medicaid, or Medicare.” Rep. Horsford explained. “Right now, working families are being squeezed – forced to cut back on food, gas, and utilities to just barely keep up with medical bills. That is unacceptable and it is the reality Congress needs to confront head-on.”
New data from the Kaiser Family Foundation highlights the growing strain of health care costs as a result of Republican inaction; roughly eight in ten returning marketplace enrollees are facing higher costs, with about half seeing substantial increases. Moreover, nearly 10 percent of previous enrollees are now uninsured and about 30 percent say they were forced to switch plans – largely because coverage is became more and more unaffordable after the expiration of the Advanced Premium Tax Credit.
"What we have today is not a health care system, it's a sick care system," Rep. Horsford said. "It waits for people to hit rock bottom before it acts. Meanwhile, working families are forced to choose between groceries, rent, gas, and their own health. That is not care. That is a crisis they are choosing to ignore."
Since rejoining the House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Horsford has been a leading voice in the fight to expand affordable coverage. During markup of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, he introduced an amendment to permanently extend the Advanced Premium Tax Credit – relief which supported over 96,000 working Nevadans and their families during the 2025.
To watch his full remarks click here.
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Issues:Health