Washington, DC — As President Trump heads to Hershey, Pennsylvania for a rally tonight, his sure-to-be raucous speech likely won’t include any mention of his plans to sabotage Pennsylvanians’ health care through his ongoing lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act and end Medicaid expansion in the state. Ahead of Trump’s rally, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach released the following statement:
“Here’s what Pennsylvanians won’t hear tonight — any mention from President Trump about his plans to end the expansion of the state’s Medicaid program and his lawsuit to take away their health care. President Trump’s lawsuit to repeal our health care law would rip coverage away from more than 850,000 Pennsylvanians, strip away protections for 5 million Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions, eliminate key support for rural hospitals, and put access to treatment for people with opioid use disorder in jeopardy. The Republican push to end Medicaid expansion won’t be tolerated in Pennsylvania. Voters are sick and tired of President Trump and his Republican allies playing politics with their health care.”
BACKGROUND:
If Trump Gets His Way, Pennsylvanians Would Lose Their Coverage
- 858,000 Pennsylvanians could lose coverage. According to the Urban Institute, 858,000 Pennsylvanians would lose coverage by repealing the Affordable Care Act, leading to a 133 percent increase in the uninsured rate.
- 89,000 Pennsylvania 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.
- 39,000 Pennsylvania children could lose their coverage. Almost three million children nationwide gained coverage thanks to the ACA. If the law is overturned, many of these children will lose their insurance.
If Trump Gets His Way, Insurance Companies Would Be Put Back In Charge, Ending Protections For The 135 Million People Nationwide With A Pre-Existing Condition
- According to a recent analysis by the Center for American Progress, roughly half of nonelderly Americans, or as many as 135 million people, have a pre-existing condition. This includes:
- 44 million people who have high blood pressure
- 45 million people who have behavioral health disorders
- 44 million people who have high cholesterol
- 34 million people who have asthma and chronic lung disease
- 34 million people who have osteoarthritis and other joint disorders
- 5,253,600 Pennsylvanians have a pre-existing condition, including 634,900 Pennsylvania children, 2,574,000 Pennsylvania women, and 1,366,200 Pennsylvanians between ages 55 and 64.
If Trump Gets His Way, Medicaid Expansion Would Be Repealed
- 800,900 Pennsylvanians Enrolled Through Medicaid Expansion Could Lose Coverage. Seventeen million people have coverage through the expanded Medicaid program, including 800,900 in Pennsylvania.
- Access To Treatment Would Be In Jeopardy For 800,000 People With Opioid Use Disorder. Roughly four in ten, or 800,000 people with an opioid use disorder are enrolled in Medicaid. Many became eligible through Medicaid expansion.
- Key Support For Rural Hospitals Would Disappear, leaving Pennsylvania hospitals with $1.8 billion more in uncompensated care.