Statement

In response to today’s decision on cost-sharing reduction payments, Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:

“Today’s decision only reinforces the need that Alexander-Murray needs to be passed immediately,” said Woodhouse. “The reality in health care is that President Trump’s sabotage is forcing premiums up 20 percent, growing the deficit by nearly 200 billion and making it more difficult for those who need health care to get it. That’s why a bipartisan majority of Senators agree that alleviating this sabotage through legislation is the best path forward. There is no time to waste — the Alexander-Murray bill should move forward immediately.”

In response to the CBO’s analysis of the bipartisan Alexander-Murray legislation, which found that the bill would reduce the federal deficit by $3.8 billion without coverage losses, Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:

“Today’s CBO report only reinforces that passing Alexander-Murray is a no-brainer,” said Woodhouse. “CBO previously found that President Trump’s health care sabotage of cost-sharing reduction funds would result in premiums going up 20 percent, one million people losing their coverage and the nation’s debt increasing by nearly $200 billion. Alexander-Murray would provide deficit savings and maintain coverage for the American people.

“If the reasons Alexander-Murray has gained such strong bipartisan support in the Senate weren’t clear before, they certainly are now. It’s time for President Trump and House and Senate Republican leaders to get on board and do the right thing for the American people by passing Alexander-Murray without delay.”

Washington, DC — In response to President Trump signing of an Executive Order this morning, which independent experts and state insurance commissioners agree will sabotage the country’s health care, raise health care premiums, deny access to coverage for millions of Americans and end affordable coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:

“President Trump’s Executive Order is a disaster for America’s health care which is exactly why he is doing it,” said Woodhouse. “Angry that Congress wouldn’t repeal the health care Americans depend on, President Trump is purposely trying to sabotage the law by creating garbage insurance which will undermine the market, raise premiums, reduce coverage and expose millions of Americans again to discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. If you were born with a health problem, or will ever get sick, you should be be very worried today. And to be clear, every dollar in premium increases, every denial of care you need and everyone discriminated against because of a prior illness will lay at the feet of President Trump and Republicans who support this approach or refuse to fight back.

“But even if they choose not to fight back we will. President Trump doesn’t get to have the final word on this — the courts, Congress and the American people will have the opportunity to be heard as well. This order is repeal of American health care by other means. Neither Congress nor the American people stood by for that failed legislative effort and there is no reason to stand by now and allow a president to sabotage the American health care system out of spite and pure politics.”

Recent reports and the opinions of experts indicate that President Trump will announce an Executive Order this week designed to sabotage the health care system and achieve some of the GOP’s health care repeal goals that have failed to pass in Congress and which have been rejected overwhelmingly by the American people. Trump’s sabotage will raise health care premiums, deny access to health care for millions of Americans and could result in the collapse of the individual insurance market.

According to experts, the Executive Order is expected to:

• Destabilize the health insurance marketplace
• Inject significant uncertainty in the health insurance marketplace just weeks before the start of the already-shortened open enrollment period
• Increase costs for millions
• Gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions, making coverage for them unaffordable
• Return power to insurance companies, who would be able to charge more for less care, including selling policies that don’t cover necessary care
• Undermine the ability of state insurance commissioners to effectively regulate and rein in insurance companies

In response to this latest secret, partisan repeal effort undertaken without any input from experts, Protect Our Care Campaign Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:

“President Trump has gone from failing at repeal to flailing with sabotage, and the victim is our health care,” said Woodhouse. “This Executive Order is nothing but the latest, and most damaging, in a series of attempts to sabotage our health care by this administration. From the President’s order to dismantle the health care law on his first day in office to forcing rate hikes by threatening to cancel required payments, the Trump Administration isn’t filled with health care solutions; it’s filled with health care saboteurs.

“After bipartisan majorities in Congress and the overwhelming majority of the American people rejected his health care repeal, President Trump is still attempting to dismantle our health care out of vengeance.

“Republicans in Congress cannot sit by idly and let this happen. The GOP must stand up to this sabotage and force the Administration to protect and strengthen our health care, rather than let them play politics with people’s lives.”