Experts Explain What Today’s Resounding Decision to Uphold the ACA Means for Millions of Families Nationwide
Historic Victory for the American People a Final Repudiation of Trump-Republican War on Health Care
Washington, DC — Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Supreme Court expert Andy Pincus joined Protect Our Care to react to the Supreme Court decision in California v. Texas, the Trump-Republican lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. In an 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court delivered a massive repudiation to the Republican war on health care. By throwing the Trump-backed lawsuit out on standing, the court protected the health care coverage of more than 20 million Americans, prevented more than 135 million people with pre-existing conditions from losing the protections they rely on, and reaffirmed dozens of other important provisions of the landmark health care law.
Today’s decision should mean the end of the road for Republicans’ endless attacks on the law and increases the momentum behind President Biden’s and the Democratic majorities in Congress to deliver on their health care agenda: building on the ACA to lower health care and drug costs, increase coverage, and reduce disparities in health care.
“Republicans in Congress and far right Attorneys General have once again failed in their attempt to rip health care away from millions of Americans and decimate Medicaid,” said U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA). “It’s past time for those Republicans who keep bringing these frivolous lawsuits finally to stop these attacks on affordable health care. It’s time to make the changes in the American Rescue Plan permanent and build on the Affordable Care Act to expand coverage and bring down costs for working families.”
“It’s a very important day for Americans,” said former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We’re in the middle of open enrollment, and what we know is more people than ever before are signing up — reaffirming the importance of both the marketplaces across this country and Medicaid expansion. The ACA has transformed the lives of over 31 million people. I think that the decision today will give confidence to folks who may have been hesitant that they should indeed take advantage of the wonderful improvements made to the ACA in the Biden administration. I hope we all roll up our sleeves and from now until August 15 make sure we get the word out loud clearly that the ACA is very much alive and well. This is a very, very good day.”
“For the third time, the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act and its protections for millions of Americans. First the court upheld the law 5-4, then 6-3, and now 7-2 – making clear that the ACA is the law of the land,” said Supreme Court expert Andy Pincus. “The bottom line here is that the Court’s decision sends a clear message that the ACA is alive and well. The time for legal challenges for the Affordable Care Act is over.”
“Today’s decision proves what legal experts and scholars have warned from the beginning: this was a bogus lawsuit driven by nothing other than Republicans’ animosity for affordable health care. Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have been relentless in their quest to overturn the ACA, and when they failed to do so in Congress, they turned to this illegitimate effort to rip health care away from tens of millions of Americans,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Once and for all, Republicans can put their war on health care to rest. The ACA is here to stay.”
“Today marks a historic victory for the American people. Once again, the Supreme Court has ruled that the ACA is the law of the land — a final repudiation of the Republican war on health care. Repeal is dead, the ACA is widely popular, and people are relying on the law now more than ever,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Now 31 million people can rest knowing that their health care is protected, and President Biden and Congress can work to meet the demands of voters across the political spectrum to build on the law by lowering costs, expanding coverage, and reducing racial inequities in care.”