Washington DC — Today, Senate Democrats reintroduced a resolution to defend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions after a federal judge in Texas ruled to overturn the entire ACA. Similar to the House resolution passed last week, this resolution takes aim at Republican attorneys general lawsuit to overturn the entire Affordable Care Act and has the support of the Trump Administration. It also directs the Senate legal counsel to intervene on behalf of the American people. Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, calls on the full Senate to support and pass this resolution:
“Now that Trump and his Republican allies have gotten a federal judge to do what they couldn’t do legislatively, overturn the ACA, Senate Democrats are once again fighting to protect people with pre-existing conditions and those who benefit from the law. This resolution takes direct aim at the Texas lawsuit and its dangerous ambitions of stripping health care away from millions of Americans. If this ruling isn’t overturned, Republicans will roll back the clock and take millions of people back to the days where insurance companies had the power to deny, drop, or charge more for coverage. It’s time for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican Senators to step up to the plate and join their Democratic colleagues by bringing this resolution to the floor where it is sure to pass. Make no mistake, by refusing to bring this resolution to the floor, Senate Republicans are backing a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act.”
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. If this ruling is allowed to stand:
- 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.