Washington, DC — As President Trump heads to Orlando for his reelection announcement today, his ongoing war on Americans’ health care jeopardizes the financial security and well-being of millions of Floridians. Trump’s Texas lawsuit puts 1.6 million Floridians at risk of losing their health insurance, and would strip protections for more than 7.8 million Floridians with a pre-existing condition. Poll after poll shows that health care is the top issue on voters’ minds heading into 2020 and Trump’s reckless ongoing attacks on Americans health care will not be forgotten. Ahead of the president’s rally today, Protect Our Care chair Leslie Dach released the following statement:
“Trump’s rally tonight is an insult to the millions of Floridians who are fed up with his relentless attacks on their health care. President Trump’s sabotage agenda puts millions of Floridians at risk of losing coverage, and if his lawsuit to eliminate our health care system is successful, it will strip coverage from over one million Floridians, raise premiums and end protections for millions more with pre-existing conditions like cancer, diabetes or asthma. Few states stand to lose more at the hands of Trump’s war on America’s health care than Florida, and instead of coming to Orlando to play politics and vent his frustrations at a political rally, the president should explain to Florida voters why he’s so hellbent on taking away their health care.”
BACKGROUND:
How Trump’s Texas Lawsuit Would Devastate Floridians
- 1.6 Million Floridians Could Lose Coverage. According to the Urban Institute, 1.6 million Floridians would lose coverage by repealing the Affordable Care Act, leading to a 67 percent increase in the uninsured rate.
- 132,000 Florida Young Adults With Their Parents’ Coverage Could Lose Care. Because of the Affordable Care Act, millions of young adults are able to stay on their parents’ care until age 26.
- Protections For The 130 Million People Nationwide With A Pre-Existing Condition Will End. 7,810,300 Floridians have a pre-existing condition, including 973,800 Florida children, 4,086,000 Florida women, and 1,760,800 Floridians between ages 55 and 64.
- Insurance Companies Could Charge Premium Surcharges In the Six Figures. If the Trump-GOP lawsuit is successful, insurance companies would be able to charge people more because of a pre-existing condition. The health repeal bill the House passed in 2017 had a similar provision, and an analysis by the Center for American Progress found that insurers could charge up to $4,270 more for asthma, $17,060 more for pregnancy, $26,180 more for rheumatoid arthritis and $140,510 more for metastatic cancer.
- Women Could Be Charged More Than Men For The Same Coverage. Prior to the ACA, women were often charged premiums on the nongroup market of up to 50 percent higher than they charged men for the same coverage.
- 344,343 Florida Seniors Could Have to Pay More for Prescription Drugs. If the Trump-GOP lawsuit is successful, seniors could have to pay more for prescription drugs because the Medicare “donut” hole would be reopened. From 2010 to 2016, “More than 11.8 million Medicare beneficiaries have received discounts over $26.8 billion on prescription drugs – an average of $2,272 per beneficiary,” according to a January 2017 CMS report. In Florida, 344,343 seniors each saved an average of $1,068.