BOSTON, May 4, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the House passage of the American Health Care Act, Blue Cross Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has issued the following public statement:

Massachusetts has made historic progress in extending the security of health insurance coverage to hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens. With a collective commitment and a spirit of shared responsibility, our state has achieved the highest insured rate in the nation, even as we strive to make care better and more affordable. 

As the state's leading private health plan, we've been strong advocates for making quality health care accessible and affordable for our members, employer customers, and for those who need it the most in our community. To be clear, there can be no turning back from the coverage gains our state has made over the past decade.

We're deeply concerned that the AHCA will result in the loss of public and private coverage for millions of our fellow citizens and reduce critical federal funding to Massachusetts. As Governor Baker noted, the AHCA would "strain the fiscal resources necessary to support the Commonwealth's continued commitment to universal health care coverage." The current proposal will create increased instability in the market and undermine the ability to provide affordable and quality coverage and care to everyone regardless of condition.

We look forward to working with the governor, state legislature, our congressional delegation, other elected officials and health care and business leaders and remain hopeful that meaningful and sustainable policy solutions can be forged on a bipartisan basis to promote a high-quality, stable and affordable health care system for the people and employers of Massachusetts.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not–for–profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We're the trusted health plan for more than 25,000 Massachusetts employers and are committed to working with others in a spirit of shared responsibility to make quality health care affordable. Consistent with our corporate promise to always put our 2.8 million members first, we're rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts