>> MELISSA MURRAY, PETER BAKE,
BENJY SARLIN, GARRETT HAAKE.
GARRETT, WELL SEE YOU IN A
LITTLE WHILE.
>>> I WONDER IF YOU CAN GIVE US
YOUR REACTION FROM THIS RULING
IN THE SUPREME COURT, BOTH IN
YOUR CAPACITY AS HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY, BUT
FOLKS SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU HAD
THIS CURRENT ROLE, YOU WERE THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CALIFORNIA.
IN THAT ROLE YOU LED A COALITION
OF STATES, INCLUDING THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, IN
DEFENDING THE ENTIRETY OF THE
ACA, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE
WERE REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE
TO INCLUDE MITCH McCONNELL WHO
DID NOT WANT YOU TO HAVE THE JOB
THAT YOU HAVE NOW.
TO THE DEGREE YOU CAN SPEAK IN
YOUR PERSONAL CAPACITY AS
CABINET SECRETARY, IM NOT SURE
THAT YOU CAN, HOW IS ALL THIS
RESONATING WITH YOU TODAY?
>> GEOFF, I HAVE TO SAY TO MIKE
MONGAN AND ALL THE TEAM AT THE
DEPARTMENT WHO ACTUALLY ARGUED
THIS CASE BEFORE THE SUPREME
COURT, THEY ARE OWED A DEBT OF
GRATITUDE BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
FOR DEFENDING THIS.
I WAS FORTUNATE AS ATTORNEY
GENERAL IN WORKING WITH HIM.
WE HAD THE SUPPORT OF ABOUT 22
OTHER STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL.
ITS A VICTORY, ITS THE LAW OF
THE LAND.
WE HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO SAY THAT
WITHOUT SOME HESITATION FOR A
WHILE, AND NOW WE CAN SAY IT.
AN EXCLAMATION POINT AHEAD OF
THAT, LAW OF THE LAND.
WE HAVE PREVAILED IN THE SUPREME
COURT.
>> PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS EXPANDED
ACCESS, THE COVID RELIEF BILL
HAD SUBSIDIES TO MAKE IT MORE
AFFORDABLE FOR FOLKS.
WHAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
SHORE UP THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT, AND GIVEN THE SENSE THAT
ITS NOT EXPECTED THAT CONGRESS
IS GOING TO ACT ON THIS, DOES
PRESIDENT BIDEN HAVE ENOUGH
PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY TO DO THE
WORK THAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE
DONE?
>> WE HAVE SOME AUTHORITY, BUT
IT SURE WOULD HELP IF CONGRESS
STEPPED IN TO HELP US MORE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE SUBSIDIES
THAT HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO A LOT
OF MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES SO THEY
CAN CONTINUE TO AFFORD THEIR
HEALTH CARE UNDER THE AFFORDABLE
CARE ACT, WE WANT TO SEE THAT
MADE PERMANENT.
SO THOSE FAMILIES WILL NEVER
RISK FALLING OVER THE CLIFF OF
LOSING THE SUBSIDIES AND NOW NOT
BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR
HEALTH CARE INSURANCE.
WE WANT TO SEE THAT EXTENDED.
WE WANT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO
REDUCE THE COST OF PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATION.
THE PRESIDENT WAS HOT ON THAT
ONE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE
CAMPAIGN, AND NOW I KNOW HED
LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE DO
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.
WE DO HAVE SOME EXECUTIVE TOOLS
TO TRY TO REDUCE THE COST IN
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, BUT WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE CONGRESS HELP US OUT
THERE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
CONTINUE TO EXPAND MEDICAID,
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW MORE THAN
TWO-THIRDS OF ALL THE STATES
HAVE EXPANDED THEIR MEDICAID
HEALTH COVERAGE.
BECAUSE OF THAT, FEWER PEOPLE
ARE LIVING IN POVERTY AND
GETTING THE HELP THEY NEED.
WE TALKED ABOUT LOWERING THE AGE
TO QUALIFY FOR MEDICARE FROM 65
TO MAYBE 60 OR LESS.
THATS ANOTHER WAY TO GET MORE
AMERICANS INSURED.
WE CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS,
GEOFF, AND WE HOPE TO DO IT IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONGRESS.
>> LETS TALK ABOUT MEDICAID
EXPANSION WHICH YOU JUST BROUGHT
UP, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO ME TO
BE THE NEXT FRONTIER IN THIS
OBAMACARE FIGHT.
YOUVE GOT 12 STATES WHO DONT
OFFER MEDICAID TO THEIR
RESIDENTS WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE
MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF
LOW-INCOME PEOPLE WHO CANT GET
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
HOW IS THE ADMINISTRATION POSING
TO CHANGE THAT?
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE
REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS?
DO YOU HAVE TO DO CERTAIN KINDS
OF MESSAGING SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT
THEYRE MISSING OUT ON, AS YOU
SEE IT?
>> WE MADE IT VERY ATTRACTIVE
FOR THEM TO SAY YES.
WERE ESSENTIALLY GIVING THEM A
WHOLE BUNCH OF SUPPORT TO GET
THEIR FOLKS WHO ARENT INSURED
COVERED.
IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, IT
SAVES THEM A LOT OF MONEY, AND
WE HOPE THEYLL ADOPT IT THE
WAY, AS YOU MENTIONED, SOME 738
GOVERNORS HAVE IN THE NATION.
WE ALSO DID REALLY DISCREET
THINGS WHO ARE CRITICAL.
FOR EXAMPLE, A WOMAN WHO HAS A
BABY, RIGHT NOW SHES ON
MEDICAID.
SHE HAS ACCESS OF ABOUT 60 DAYS
OF POSTPARTUM CARE TO HELP HER
THROUGH THOSE FIRST TWO MONTHS.
WE ARE NOW OFFERING STATES A
GREAT CHALLENGE.
WELL HELP YOU PAY FOR EXTENDING
THAT POSTPARTUM CARE FOR THAT
WOMAN FROM 60 DAYS TOY A FULL
YEAR.
WE KNOW FOR ALL THESE WOMEN THEY
STRUGGLE.
THATS CRITICAL.
ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR WHERE A LOT OF WOMEN
STRUGGLE JUST TO MAKE THINGS
WORK, SO WERE GOING TO SEE IF
THE STATES WANT TO JOIN US IN
THAT EFFORT.
>> FINAL QUESTION TO YOU.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AS
SURVIVED THREE CHALLENGES NOW IN
THE SUPREME COURT.
DO YOU THINK A FOURTH CHALLENGE
IS ON THE HORIZON?
WHAT ARE WE PLANNING FOR?
>> IF WE WERE PLAYING BASEBALL,
WE WOULD SAY THREE STRIKES
YOURE OUT.
IF YOU COUNT THE SEVERAL TIMES
THAT MEMBERS IN CONGRESS TRIED
TO DISMANTLE THE LAW.
THEYVE BEEN OUT A LONG TIME,
BUT LOOK, WERE GOING TO BE
READY.
THERE WILL BE EITHER A REALLY
GOOD STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR A
U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL OR JUST A
GOOD PRESIDENT WHO IS GOING TO
SAY, WERE GOING TO BUILD ON THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, NOT TRY TO
DISMANTLE IT.
MORE AND MORE YOU SEE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SAYING, THATS
EXACTLY RIGHT, ITS TIME TO
BUILD ON IT.
HEALTH CARE SHOULD BE A RIGHT,
NOT JUST A PRIVILEGE FOR A FEW. THATS WHERE WERE GOING.