In its Legal Brief Filed Today in the Trump-Texas Lawsuit, the DOJ went further than their Previous Statements of Support to Reiterate Desire to Dismantle the Entire Affordable Care Act
Washington, DC – Today, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice filed its brief in the Texas lawsuit to repeal the entire Affordable Care Act. Unsurprisingly, the Trump administration offered a full-throated defense of ripping apart our health care laws. In response to the administration’s brazen support for dismantling the nation’s health care system, that would take coverage away from 20 million Americans, Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
“While unsurprising, it’s still jarring that the President of the United States went even further to reiterate his steadfast determination to win a lawsuit that will dismantle our entire health care system, take health care away from 20 million Americans and strip protections for millions more with pre-existing conditions. It’s clear with the administration’s brief filed today that Trump and the Republican Party’s singular focus is sabotaging our nation’s health care laws no matter how many Americans are put at risk as a result of their reckless actions.”
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.