Latest Releases
Sen. Smith joins Dem Women’s Caucus, House and Senate Democrats, in Demanding Health Insurers Fully Cover Birth Control, As Required by the ACA
Washington, DC — Today, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22), Reps. Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), Kathy Manning (NC-6), and Judy Chu (CA-28), led over 150 House and Senate Democratic colleagues in urging health insurers to fully comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) contraception coverage requirement. Specifically, the members urged insurers to adopt a “therapeutic equivalence standard” ensuring coverage—without cost sharing—of every FDA-approved birth control product that does not have a therapeutic equivalent (generic). The letter comes after years of systemic noncompliance by insurance plans, forcing women to pay out of pocket or face administrative red tape to access the birth control that works best for them. “We write to express our concerns that your members are not complying with the Affordable Care Act contraception coverage requirement, and to urge them to consider immediate adoption of the therapeutic equivalence standard outlined by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury on January 22, 2024,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter toAmerica’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)—whose membership includes major health insurers across the country—and UnitedHealth Group. Despite the ACA’s protections, the members outlined how multiple investigations—including by the House Oversight Committee, “have revealed that plans routinely violate the ACA by refusing to cover certain products, imposing administrative hurdles like prior authorizations and step therapy (fail first protocols), and requiring patient cost-sharing.” In response to these violations, the Biden Administration recently released additional guidance, outlining a standard that requires coverage
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce New Childcare Facility in Luverne
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Education Committee, announced federal funding they secured last year to renovate a vacant facility in Luverne, Minnesota into a childcare center has been disbursed. The project will help the city purchase and renovate a facility into a new center that will accommodate 186 infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children. The renovated space will also accommodate staff and administrative spaces, a gymnasium, and food preparation kitchen. “Too often I have heard that parents around the state, including in Rock County, have difficulty finding safe, reliable, and affordable child care in their communities,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We worked to secure a federal grant for Luverne to open a new child care center to serve hundreds of kids and expand options for parents.” “With few options for childcare in this area, working families are put in a serious bind. How can parents work without a safe, affordable place for their kids to go while they are at work?” said Senator Smith. “Luverne is leading the way in creating a community young families will want to live in, and this new facility is a testament to their hard work.” Rock County has over 350 kids below the age of five who need childcare, but capacity for just 240 of them, according to First Children’s Finance. Over the last ten years, almost half of the nearly 60 home child care providers in Rock County have left the field or retired. For some families, it makes more financial sense stay home rather
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Mike Braun Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Address Underhanded Big Pharma Tactic That Prevents Americans from Accessing Affordable Rx Drugs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/18/19]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) introduced legislation to bring low-cost generics to market, increase competition and help American families and seniors access their medications. The Expanding Access to Low-Cost Generics Act—which was the first standalone piece of legislation introduced by Sen. Smith—gets to the heart of a major concern families are facing right now: prescription drug prices. Nearly three in ten Americans report that they did not fill a prescription because it was too expensive. Anti-competitive behavior between brand name and generic drug manufacturers is delaying timely access to low-cost generic drugs. For example,
U.S. Senators Smith & Collins’ Bipartisan Bill to Combat Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases Advances
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/17/19]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced that their bipartisan bill to improve research, prevention, diagnostics, and treatment for tick-borne diseases was included in the government spending agreement released yesterday. Once passed by both the House and Senate, the bill will proceed to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The Kay Hagan Tick Act unites the effort to confront the alarming public health threat posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, which have risen exponentially from approximately 30,000 cases in 2003 to an estimated 450,000 last year. Sens. Smith and Collins renamed the
U.S. Senators Smith & Tillis’ Bill to Extend Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Nears Passage by Senate, House
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/16/2019]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) secured inclusion of their bipartisan bill to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program for seven years as part of a key government funding package expected to pass Congress this week. Last month, the Senate Banking Committee unanimously passed the legislation. During Committee consideration, Sen. Smith highlighted how the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) makes it possible for Minnesota to host major events, including the 2018 Super Bowl which generated more than $350 million for the state’s economy. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program was established in response to the scarcity of affordable insurance coverage for terrorism risk in
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Says Thye Blatnik Decision is a Win for Minnesotans in Lake, St. Louis and Cook Counties
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/20/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) heeded her call and will maintain federal payments to three counties in northern Minnesota at current levels, which is welcome news to Lake, St. Louis and Cook Counties. The Counties benefit from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) as a world-renowned tourist destination, but they also forgo property taxes and other potential revenue streams. Congress passed the Thye Blatnik Act over 70 years ago, which directed the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire lands within the future BWCAW and set up a system of annual compensation payments
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