Washington, DC — Monday, the Trump Administration took their war on health care to a new level by informing the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that they supported the overthrow of the entire health care system by overturning the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In response, Protect Our Care chair Leslie Dach released the following statement:
“The Trump Administration’s support for overturning the entire Affordable Care Act is a reckless escalation of their war on health care that puts the care of millions of Americans at risk. With his latest attack on our health care system, President Trump confirmed what we all know to be true: he and Republicans are hell bent to take away protections for more than 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, rip coverage away from millions, and raising costs for countless more.
“In November, voters overwhelmingly rejected President Trump’s health care repeal and sabotage agenda, yet he remains dead set on accomplishing through the courts what he and his allies in Congress couldn’t do legislatively: fully repeal the law, devastate American health care and leave millions of Americans at risk.”
BACKGROUND:
If the Affordable Care Act is struck down:
- GONE: Protections for 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. The uninsured rate will increase by 65 percent.
- GONE: Medicaid expansion, which covers 17 million people.
- GONE: Nearly 12 million seniors will have to pay more for prescription drugs because the Medicare ‘donut hole’ will be reopened.
- GONE: 2.3 million adult children will no longer be able to stay on their parents’ insurance.
- GONE: Insurance companies will be able to charge women 50 percent more than men.
- GONE: Financial assistance that helps 9 million people purchase health care in the marketplace.
- GONE: Key support for rural hospitals. As Americans lose coverage, already struggling hospitals will be hit even harder as their costs increase.
- GONE: Ban on insurance companies having lifetime caps on coverage.
- GONE: Requirements that insurance companies cover prescription drugs and maternity care.