Washington, DC — Today, Congress is closing in on reaching a deal on a coronavirus relief package to address the crisis while President Trump continues to mishandle the response. The proposal, strengthened dramatically by the efforts of Senate and House Democrats, currently includes several vital measures to help the country. However, due to Republican opposition, it fails to include key elements essential to providing health care during this crisis, including Democratic proposals to stop Trump’s Texas lawsuit, stop Trump’s junk insurance plans, and allow the uninsured to purchase health coverage on the federal ACA exchange. Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach released the following statement in response:
“No one should have to worry about the status or quality of their health care, particularly during this emergency. If Republicans were truly serious about protecting Americans during this crisis, they would agree to ban junk insurance plans that don’t fully protect people with pre-existing conditions who need treatment for the coronavirus, and they would tell the president to drop the Texas lawsuit that would rip 20 million Americans off their health care. Instead, Republicans insist on supporting President Trump’s policies that are rejected by the majority of the American people ”
BACKGROUND:
Trump Is Pushing Short-Term Junk Plans That Would Not Need To Cover Coronavirus Treatment. Junk plans do not need to comply with the consumer protections established by the Affordable Care Act, including coverage of essential health benefits. The expansion of junk plans under Trump has already led to reports of patients receiving thousands of dollars in unexpected medical bills: In February, a Florida man covered by Trump-backed short-term plan discovered he “may owe thousands” after he sought a test for coronavirus.
Trump Is Backing A Lawsuit That Could Rip Away Coverage From 20 Million People In The Middle Of The Outbreak. The Trump administration is currently backing a lawsuit that would overturn the Affordable Care Act and, if they are successful, 20 million people would lose insurance overnight. The lawsuit also threatens protections for 135 million with pre-existing conditions. This means that anyone who contracts coronavirus – a potential pre-existing condition – could be charged more or denied coverage altogether by insurance companies.