Washington DC – Today, Judge Reed O’Connor, who sided with President Trump and Republicans to overturn the Affordable Care Act, issued a stay in the Texas, et. al. vs. United States, et. al. lawsuit and ruled that his ruling is immediately appealable. This decision will allow the Affordable Care Act to remain in place while the ruling is appealed. Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care issued the following statement in response:
“Today’s ruling should prevent the damage this lawsuit will cause to millions of Americans while the appeal process is underway. But despite the clear message from the November elections, that the American people want protections for pre-existing conditions and quality and affordable health coverage, Donald Trump and his Republican allies will continue to try and weaponize the courts to do what they couldn’t do legislatively or at the ballot box — repeal the ACA. If this misguided ruling isn’t overturned, Republicans will succeed at striking down the ACA and gutting key protections for millions of Americans. Make no mistake, this politically driven lawsuit remains an absolute disaster for Americans and their health care.”
BACKGROUND:
Due to Judge O’Connor’s ruling on December 14th, Republicans are one step closer to repealing the Affordable Care Act and eliminating key protections, unleashing — as the Trump Administration itself admitted in his court — “chaos” in our entire health care system. Under this ruling:
- Marketplace tax credits and coverage for 10 million people: GONE.
- Medicaid expansion currently covering 15 million people: GONE.
- Protections for more than 130 million people with pre-existing conditions when they buy coverage on their own: GONE.
- Allowing children to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26: GONE.
- Free annual wellness exams: GONE.
- Ban on annual and lifetime limits: GONE.
- Ban on insurance discrimination against women: GONE.
- Contraception with no out-of-pocket costs: GONE.
- Limit on out-of-pocket costs: GONE.
- Requirement that insurance companies cover essential benefits like prescription drugs, maternity care, and hospitalization: GONE.
- Improvements to Medicare, including reduced costs for prescription drugs: GONE.
- Closed Medicare prescription drug donut hole: GONE.
- Rules to hold insurance companies accountable: GONE.
- Small business tax credits: GONE.