Washington, DC — Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) joined Protect Our Care and patient storytellers to discuss how Republicans are escalating their attacks on American health care. During the call, Protect Our Care released a new report on the GOP’s war on health care. The report finds that Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are promising devastating health care policies in 2025, including repealing the ACA, dismantling reproductive care, hiking premiums, slashing Medicare and Medicaid, reversing recent coverage gains, and raising prescription drug costs for the American people.
This is in stark contrast to Democrats in Congress, who have expanded affordable coverage, lowered prescription drug costs, strengthened Medicaid for moms and kids, and worked to reduce inequities in care. This year, a record 21.3 million people signed up for coverage under the ACA marketplaces, seniors are saving on insulin and vaccine costs, and Medicare is negotiating lower prices for some of the costliest drugs on the market.
“The cost of the American people’s health care is riding on the outcome of this election,” said Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11). “We have to make sure people know that when you care about the cost of living, you need to care about the cost of medical care, cost of prescription drugs, and cost of having a pre-existing condition. We should care about it because the Republicans don’t. All they care about is corporate profits and putting insurance and drug companies back in charge. Health care is a priority for the Democrats. It is something we will fight for and protect because it makes a very big difference at the kitchen table of America’s working families, and more importantly, for their good health.”
“Over the last several months, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have laid bare their latest scheme to raise drug prices and the cost of health insurance and rip away health care from millions of families,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “After enormous strides to expand affordable health care under President Biden, the GOP is trying to turn back the clock and put drug and insurance companies back in charge. Donald Trump is calling for total ACA repeal while Republicans in Congress are trying to overturn the entire Inflation Reduction Act, slash Medicare and Medicaid, and dismantle protections for pre-existing conditions.
“Health care is a key kitchen table issue that receives strong support from an overwhelming majority of voters, whether they live in red or blue states, or rural, suburban, or urban zip codes. Yet, the MAGA Republican Party, led by Donald Trump, has doubled down on their losing strategy of denying tens of millions of Americans affordable life-saving health care. The GOP agenda is reckless and unpopular among voters of all parties, and it would be devastating for hardworking people across our country.”
Key Report Findings: MAGA Republicans Want to Hike Costs and Rip Away Health Care
- Repeal the ACA: Donald Trump sabotaged affordable health care and pre-existing condition protections while he was in office, and has renewed his calls to “terminate” the ACA at least seven times over the last several months with MAGA Republicans echoing his calls.If Trump doesn’t succeed at repealing the ACA altogether, he will stop at nothing to gut it and other critical protections that the American people rely on.
- Cut Medicaid and throw millions off their coverage: MAGA Republicans propose cutting Medicaid spending by over 54 percent in the next decade and ripping coverage away from tens of millions of children, seniors, and people with disabilities.
- Repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and hike drug costs for seniors and families: MAGA Republicans want to fully repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s prescription drug provisions that are saving Americans thousands of dollars on health care.
- Hike premium costs by hundreds of dollars a year: MAGA Republicans want to end enhanced premium tax credits that lower insurance costs for Americans, which were originally enacted in the American Rescue Plan and extended through 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Dismantle protections for pre-existing conditions: MAGA Republicans want to remove many protections for the over 100 million Americans with pre-existing conditions made possible through the Affordable Care Act and would allow insurers to deny coverage or charge more.
- Expand access to junk plans: MAGA Republicans want to codify rules put forth by the Trump administration that expanded junk health insurance plans known as association health plans (AHPs). These plans are not required to cover the essential health benefits required by the Affordable Care Act and are allowed to charge people more based on their age, health status, and gender.
“One of the riskiest conditions to women in this country is pregnancy which is why protecting the Affordable Care Act is so important,” said Amy Raslevich, storyteller. “It guarantees essential health benefits, such as coverage of birth control. I genuinely fear for my daughter’s life given the rollback of Roe v. Wade and given the dangers of pregnancy in this country that we don’t talk about. She’s currently protected because we’re in Pennsylvania, and she has access to birth control. But if the ACA is repealed, and states have more control over how women manage their own health, we will see more women die in this country. I think that keeping people well is every bit as important, and it’s truly under threat for women right now.”
“The Affordable Care Act saved my life — I had no idea that I was ill,” said DonnaMarie Woodson, storyteller. “When the ACA was passed, I got health care, went to the doctor, and found out that I had stage three colon cancer and stage one breast cancer. So the ACA saved my life and it also saved my family from medical debt. In addition, my husband is a diabetic and his insulin could cost upwards of $200 a vial. But thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, it is now capped at $35 a month. I’m so thankful and grateful for President Biden and Democrats for all that they have done to make life so much better for all Americans. The American people need to know this information and realize exactly who’s responsible for lowering their health care costs.”
“The last couple of decades, I’ve had to deal with increasingly severe psoriasis,” said Irv Varkonyi, storyteller. “Along with other prescription drugs that I take, my co-pays would now be approaching $12,000 per year. But this year, the situation has dramatically improved for me. The Inflation Reduction Act has capped out-of-pocket costs at $3,000 per year for Medicare, which I reached during the first part of 2024. I am so grateful to the leadership of President Biden and Speaker Emerita Pelosi in recognizing that solutions had to be found to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. Retired seniors, such as I, rely on limited income from Social Security, along with our retirement savings. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act’s annual out-of-pocket cap, I am now saving thousands of dollars a year, which I will pass on to my five grandchildren one day.”