News

Yesterday, the House of Representatives and a coalition of Democratic-led states filed briefs in the Supreme Court opposing the Trump-Republican lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. To discuss the briefs filed yesterday, Protect Our Care held a national press call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in addition to calls in Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin which highlighted the severe consequences of this lawsuit. Coverage of the briefs and Protect Our Care’s activity detailed President Trump’s reckless desire to “terminate” the health care law and Democratic leaders nationwide spelling out the grave consequences of ripping coverage away from 20 million Americans during the coronavirus crisis.

NATIONAL HEADLINES

San Francisco Chronicle: Democrats Slam GOP Effort to Have Supreme Court Halt Obamacare During Coronavirus Pandemic. “As the Supreme Court prepares to consider a Republican challenge to former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, leading Democrats said Wednesday that it is the wrong time to repeal health insurance coverage for 20 million Americans as the coronavirus pandemic spreads…pursuing this repeal while the nation is reeling from coronavirus is an act of ‘staggering cruelty and senselessness,’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said in a telephonic news conference.” [San Francisco Chronicle, 5/6/20]

Bloomberg Law: Pandemic Shows Obamacare ‘Indispensable,’ Democrats Tell Justices. “Democrats are pointing to the coronavirus pandemic in an effort to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to save Obamacare. In the high-stakes litigation that a group of Republican states led by Texas initiated to take down the law, the California-led coalition working to defend it kicked off its opening brief telling the high court that many of the Affordable Care Act’s reforms ‘have proven indispensable in the context of the current pandemic.’” [Bloomberg Law, 5/6/20]

Washington Post: Trump Vows Complete End of Obamacare Law Despite Pandemic. “‘We want to terminate health care under Obamacare,’ Trump told reporters Wednesday, the last day for his administration to change its position in a Supreme Court case challenging the law…Democrats, who view the fight over the Affordable Care Act as a winning election issue for them, denounced the president’s decision. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement that ‘the President’s insistence on doubling down on his senseless and cruel argument in court to destroy the ACA and every last one of its benefits and protections is unconscionable, particularly in the middle of a pandemic.’” [Washington Post, 5/6/20]

Vox: Trump Still Wants to Get Rid of the Affordable Care Act, Even as Covid-19 Rages. “Moments after signing a proclamation honoring National Nurses Day on Wednesday, and in the middle of a pandemic that has already claimed tens of thousands of American lives, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for throwing out the Affordable Care Act….it would also have consequences for the country’s future — potentially devastating ones regarding the country’s ability to combat the coronavirus pandemic, and interesting ones in this fall’s general election.” [Vox, 5/6/20]

CNN: Trump Says Administration Will Continue Legal Fight to Eliminate Obamacare. “President Donald Trump said Wednesday his administration will continue to push the Supreme Court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act, defying a last-minute request from Attorney General William Barr to modify the administration’s position…lawyers for the House of Representatives launched a broad defense of the Affordable Care Act, telling the Supreme Court that access to affordable health care is a ‘life-or-death matter for millions of Americans.’ In briefs filed Wednesday, the lawyers linked the law to Covid-19 and said it had become an ‘indispensable precondition to the social intercourse on which our security, welfare and liberty ultimately depend.’” [CNN, 5/6/20]

Vanity Fair: Trump Still Wants to Kill Obamacare, Pandemic Be Damned. “President Donald Trump has long been opposed to the Affordable Care Act—and not even a global pandemic is going to change his mind. As his administration faced a Wednesday deadline to change their current position on the ACA’s fate before the question goes before the U.S. Supreme Court, Trump doubled down on his intention to see the health care law be abolished, even as others in his administration argue that’s not the smartest plan. ‘Obamacare is a disaster, but we’ve made it barely acceptable,’ Trump told reporters Wednesday. ‘What we want to do is terminate it and give great health care.’” [Vanity Fair, 5/7/20]

U.S. News & World Report: Trump Says Obamacare Must Go as U.S. Coronavirus Cases Climb Past 1.2 Million. “U.S. coronavirus cases surged past 1.2 million and the death toll topped 73,000 on Wednesday. But President Donald Trump also said Wednesday that he would renew efforts to end the Affordable Care Act, which many credit with opening access to health care amid the COVID-19 crisis. ‘We want to terminate health care under Obamacare,’ Trump told reporters. The government health insurance program was designed to expand coverage to include all Americans.” [U.S. News & World Report, 5/7/20]

Essence: Trump Continues To Push To Bring An End To Obamacare. “That means that the Trump administration is signaling its full support of the lawsuit against the healthcare law, which was filed by a group of Republican states, and is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court in October. Meanwhile, lawyers for the Democratic-led House of Representatives have been working to defend the law, telling the Supreme Court that this is a “life-or-death matter for millions of Americans.” [Essence, 5/7/20] 

Courthouse News: House Urges Justices to Reject Challenge to Obamacare Tax Penalty. “In a press call after the brief was filed, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned against the Supreme Court striking down the ACA in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The high court will hear oral arguments in the case during its next term that begins in October. Pelosi was joined by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and others who all warned ending the program could leave millions of sick Americans without health insurance at a time when the nation will be recovering from a virus-driven recession.” [Courthouse News Service, 5/6/20] 

NEWS FROM PROTECT OUR CARE’S EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI): “Perez and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul Defended the ACA, Known as Obamacare.” “During the call, Perez and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul defended the ACA, known as Obamacare…Kaul ended Wisconsin’s participation in lawsuits against Obamacare. Wisconsin previously fought Obamacare under former Gov. Scott Walker and former Attorney General Brad Schimel. ‘This is a suit that the state of Wisconsin never should have been a part of,’ Kaul said. ‘It’s a suit that should not succeed and it’s a suit frankly that no state should be a part of.’” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/6/20]

Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA): Defending Obamacare, Iowa Democrats Attack Ernst. “Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller, who has joined attorneys general from 19 other states in briefs opposing the ACA challenge, said overturning Obamacare would be a ‘catastrophe’ for the 12 million Americans who would lose health care insurance through Medicaid expansion and the 9 million individuals who have insurance through the marketplaces or exchanges. ‘And most Americans would potentially be subject to the pre-existing condition exclusion that over time was like a cancer eating away at the health care system,’ he said on a call hosted by Progress Iowa.” [Cedar Rapids Gazette, 5/6/20]

WWLP (MA): Millions Could Lose Health Insurance If Affordable Care Act Is Ruled Unconstitutional. “The US Supreme Court received its final briefs Wednesday for yet another challenge to the Affordable Care Act. A group of state attorney general’s is hoping Obamacare will be ruled unconstitutional. Millions of Americans get their health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act.If the law is found unconstitutional, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says they’re all in jeopardy. ‘This is an act of cruelty on the part of the administration. A major disruption in the health and well being of the American people,’ Representative Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said.” [WWLP, 5/6/20]

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa Joins 19 States in Brief Defending ACA in U.S. Supreme Court Case. “Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said Wednesday he hopes the COVID-19 pandemic will cause the Trump administration and others to reconsider their efforts to have the Affordable Care Act declared unconstitutional…Miller said that if the Trump administration succeeds in having the court strike down the ACA, it would be a ‘catastrophe’ for the people of Iowa. ‘Twelve million Americans would lose their health care insurance through Medicaid expansion,’ he said…‘if they are successful, the pre-existing exclusion would come back with a vengeance.’” [Iowa Capital Dispatch, 5/6/20]

Up North News (WI): Millions in Wisconsin Could Lose Healthcare If Supreme Court Backs Trump’s Effort to Repeal ACA. “Former Sen. Russ Feingold and California Sen. Kamala Harris warned Tuesday that more than 150,000 Wisconsinites could lose health care, and another 2.4 million could be disqualified due to pre-existing conditions if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the Affordable Care Act when it rules later this year on a President Trump-backed lawsuit…they warned of dire implications for millions of Americans who could lose insurance if the ACA is killed in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.” [Up North News, 5/6/20]

WLUC (MI): AG Nessel Joins Coalition of 20 States, District of Columbia in Defending the ACA in US Supreme Court. “Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel Wednesday joined a coalition of jurisdictions in filing a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) against efforts by the Trump administration and the state of Texas to repeal the entire ACA, putting the health care of tens of millions of Americans at risk…this decision threatens health care coverage protections for 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, and would allow health insurance companies to deny individuals care or charge more based on their health status.” [WLUC, 5/6/20]

President Trump Again Refused to Back Off His Administration’s Stance on Fully Repealing the ACA as Deadline to Modify Position in Case Passes

Washington DC – Today, President Trump refused to modify his position in the lawsuit to repeal the entire Affordable Care Act, reaffirming his support for ripping health care from 20 million Americans and protections for 135 million with pre-existing conditions as the coronavirus crisis continues to grip the country. Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement in response: 

“As tens of thousands of Americans die and more become infected with the coronavirus, President Trump is standing by his position to destroy the health care law and rip coverage from 20 million Americans. Nothing, not even a global pandemic in which the United States leads the world in deaths and infections, is enough to deter this president from trying to take away people’s health care when they need it most. It’s downright cruel.”

Call Audio Available Here

Washington, DC — On a press call this afternoon, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra along with Protect Our Care discussed the briefs being filed today in the Supreme Court by the House of Representatives and state attorneys general opposing the lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. On the call, Speaker Pelosi and AG Becerra described the consequences of the lawsuit, which would have a severe impact on Americans particularly in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Speaker Pelosi and Attorney General Becerra reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the ACA from this lawsuit and ensuring that Americans have access to the care they need at time when they need it most.  Oral arguments before the Supreme Court in the case are expected in the fall of 2020.

“The protections of the Affordable Care Act are more important than ever during this time of extraordinary heartbreak, as millions of lives and livelihoods are shattered by the coronavirus crisis,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “President Trump’s doubling-down on the lawsuit to destroy the Affordable Care Act and dismantle every last one of its protections and benefits is an act of staggering cruelty and senselessness that must be defeated. Democrats in Congress and the American people will fight together to Protect Our Care and defend every American’s right to quality, affordable health care during this dark time.”

“In defending the Affordable Care Act before the Supreme Court, our goal is simple: save affordable healthcare and with it, American lives,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “The Trump administration is choosing to walk away from its obligation to defend our nation’s laws. This is not a moment to abandon Americans who need to know they have the health coverage to protect their families from the coronavirus — or pre-existing conditions, surprise medical bills or junk health insurance. Our coalition of 20 states and DC is in the right place at the right time to protect Americans’ healthcare before the Supreme Court.” 

“No issue is more important to Americans today in the middle of the coronavirus crisis than their health care, and yet President Trump is doing everything he can to rip that away from them,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “If the president and his Republican allies are successful in repealing the ACA through this lawsuit, 20 million Americans will lose their health insurance, on top of the millions who have already lost their employer-based insurance during the pandemic. Everyone who contracts the coronavirus could now have a pre-existing condition and be at the mercy of their insurance companies who could refuse to pay for needed care. The submission of briefs today from the House and CA-led states under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and AG Becerra will put the Trump administration’s disastrous lawsuit on full display for the American people. It’s critical that Americans understand just what’s at stake if this outrageous and irresponsible lawsuit succeeds.”

Washington, DC – Today, the House of Representatives and Democratic states will submit their opening briefs to the Supreme Court, urging the court to reject the Trump-Republican lawsuit to overturn the ACA. These briefs from Democratic attorneys general and the House of Representatives will lay out clear arguments in defense of the law and against the Trump administration and Republican lawsuit that seeks to strip health care away from 20 million Americans and protections from 135 million with pre-existing conditions in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Ahead of the briefs being filed today, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach released the following statement: 

“No issue is more important to Americans today in the middle of the coronavirus crisis than their health care, and yet President Trump is doing everything he can to rip that away from them. If the president and his Republican allies are successful in repealing the ACA through this lawsuit, 20 million Americans will lose their health insurance, on top of the millions who have already lost their employer-based insurance. Everyone who contracts the coronavirus could now have a pre-existing condition and be at the mercy of their insurance companies who could refuse to pay for needed care. It’s critical that Americans understand just what’s at stake if this outrageous and irresponsible lawsuit succeeds.”

BACKGROUND: 

As Pandemic Rages, Supreme Court Activity in Trump Lawsuit to Repeal American Health Care Begins 

Today marks a critical point for the future of American health care and the fate of the Affordable Care Act. Opening briefs will be submitted today to the Supreme Court from those urging the court to reject California v. Texas, the Trump-Republican lawsuit to overturn the ACA. These briefs from Democratic attorneys general and the House of Representatives will lay out the arguments in defense of the law and against the Trump administration and Republicans’ lawsuit that seeks to strip health care away from 20 million Americans and protections from 135 million with pre-existing conditions. The consequences of the lawsuit for America’s health care are particularly horrendous at a time the country is gripped by the coronavirus crisis which threatens the health and safety of the entire nation. 

How We Got Here

Republicans in Congress have tried and failed dozens of times to repeal or weaken the Affordable Care Act and since day one of his presidency, Donald Trump has done everything in his power to sabotage and undermine the law. When he failed in Congress to overturn it, the president and Republican attorneys general turned to the courts. That case, California v. Texas, is now before the Supreme Court, and today, Democratic attorneys general and the House of Representatives will submit their briefs urging the court to reject the disastrous Trump-Republican lawsuit and protect the health care of millions of Americans. On May 13, health care experts, patient advocacy groups and others will file their briefs in opposition to the lawsuit. And in June, Republican states and the Trump administration will submit their briefs in response. The case will then be argued before the Supreme Court in its next term, quite possibly before the election in November. 

The submission of these briefs from Democratic states will put the Trump administration’s politically-motivated lawsuit on full display for the American people in front of the highest court. And as this case comes back into focus, it’s especially important that Americans understand just what’s at stake if the law is overturned, particularly in the midst of a global pandemic.

The Trump Lawsuit Would Rip Apart America’s Health Care

If the Affordable Care Act is struck down:

GONE: Protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. The uninsured rate will increase by 65 percent.
GONE: Medicaid expansion, which covers 17 million people.
GONE: Nearly 12 million seniors will have to pay more for prescription drugs because the Medicare ‘donut hole’ will be reopened.
GONE: 2.3 million adult children will no longer be able to stay on their parents’ insurance.
GONE: Insurance companies will be able to charge women 50 percent more than men.
GONE: Financial assistance that helps 9 million people purchase health care in the marketplace.
GONE: Key support for rural hospitals. As Americans lose coverage, already struggling hospitals will be hit even harder as their costs increase.

The Trump Lawsuit Will Make the Coronavirus Crisis Far Worse

Simply put, there has never been a more important time to protect and expand Americans’ health care, and never been a worse time to rip it away. As the Trump administration and state Republicans present their case for doing just that, Democrats tomorrow will put into stark terms why the Trump-Republican lawsuit is not only cruel, but disastrous for our country during this crisis at a time when people need health care the most. 

No action would be more damaging to Americans’ health and safety than if the Trump administration achieves their desired goal of overturning the ACA in its entirety during this crisis. When the court hears this case, there will likely be no vaccine and no viable treatment for the virus. When millions of Americans have already lost health insurance due to the pandemic, it’s absurd that President Trump is arguing in court that 20 million more Americans should lose their health care. And when millions of Americans with the coronavirus join the 135 million Americans with a pre-existing condition, President Trump will also be arguing in court to allow insurance companies to deny them coverage or charge them more. 

At a time when we should be taking aggressive action to protect and expand health care for all Americans, like fully expanding Medicaid, opening a special enrollment period for the uninsured, or increasing financial assistance for people purchasing insurance, the Trump administration is instead arguing in court that the entire law should be overturned and programs like Medicaid expansion — which has covered millions more Americans — should be eliminated. If the Trump administration is serious about protecting Americans they would drop this lawsuit, yet sadly they have demonstrated that their desire to destroy the law trumps the health and safety of our nation.

On A Press Call Today, Senator Harris and ACS President Feingold Discussed the Consequences of This Lawsuit and How Ripping Health Care Away from 20 Million Americans During the Global Pandemic Would Be Devastating for Americans’ Health Care

Call Audio Available Here

Washington, DC — Today, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), American Constitution Society President and former Senator Russ Feingold along with Protect Our Care held a press call to discuss the dire consequences of the lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act ahead of the Supreme Court receiving briefs for the case beginning tomorrow. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will begin its consideration of the case, when the House of Representatives and Democratic attorneys general submit briefs defending the law. Oral arguments are expected to happen this fall before the November election. On the call, Senator Harris and ACS President Feingold discussed the legal argument against this case and described how if Republicans are successful in their lawsuit to overturn the law, 20 million Americans will lose their health care and 135 million with pre-existing conditions will lose their protections while the country is still reeling from the coronavirus crisis. 

“Once again, the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans are actively trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act,” said Senator Kamala D. Harris. “We cannot lose sight of the fact that this administration is trying to rip health coverage away from people in the middle of a life threatening global health crisis. Now, more than ever, people need access to quality, affordable health care.” 

“So much work went into passing the Affordable Care Act, and now we have the courts potentially poised to undo it,” said American Constitution Society President Russ Feingold. “In an unprecedented way, the current administration is not defending the law of the land. Instead, they are pushing the other way to take away health coverage from 20 million people during this very frightening pandemic.” 

“The Texas lawsuit is the clearest example of the Trump administration and Republicans’ war on Americans’ health care,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Having tried dozens of times to repeal the health care law in congress, Trump and Republicans have taken to the courts to throw Americans’ health care into chaos in the midst of a global pandemic. As this case comes back into focus before the Supreme Court, we need to remind the public of just how devastating it would be if this lawsuit is successful and 20 million more Americans lose their health care during this crisis.”

Washington, DC — Today, Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) will join President Trump to tour a mask-making facility outside Phoenix, Arizona. Their visit comes as President Trump and Senator McSally continue to downplay the seriousness of the pandemic and as proceedings in the Texas lawsuit they both support to rip health care away from 20 million Americans begin before the Supreme Court tomorrow. Ahead of President Trump and Senator McSally’s tour, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:

“Senator McSally and President Trump have consistently downplayed this pandemic as the virus raged and tens of thousands of Americans lost their lives and their relentless sabotage of Americans’ health care puts more lives at risk. At a time when access to health care has never been more critical, both Trump and McSally support the lawsuit to rip coverage from 20 million more Americans and throw the health care system into chaos as the country grapples with this crisis and as deaths and infections continue to rise.”

BACKGROUND:

In Response To The Pandemic, Senator Martha McSally Has Reprised Her Role As “Chief Cheerleader” To Trump

Instead of confronting the crisis head-on and finding solutions for struggling Arizona families, McSally has spent her time praising Trump and shifting blame to China for the crisis. 

Laurie Roberts, Columnist For The Arizona Republic, On McSally: “She Seems To Have Quarantined Herself Smack Inside The President’s Pocket.” “The world has changed but it’s comforting to know that some things never do. Sen. Martha McSally, for example, is still reprising her role as chief cheerleader to President Donald Trump. In fact, she seems to have quarantined herself smack inside the president’s pocket.” [Arizona Republic, 4/7/20]

McSally Praised Trump For Freezing Funds To The World Health Organization And Accused The W.H.O. Of Promoting Chinese Propaganda. “The U.S. is right to freeze WHO funding. Instead of acting in the best interest of our global health, the WHO has served as a propaganda arm for the Chinese government. WHO’s actions are unacceptable.” [Twitter, @SenMcSallyAZ, 4/7/20]

McSally: “China Is To Blame For This Pandemic And The Death Of Thousands Of Americans.” “Make no mistake: China is to blame for this pandemic and the death of thousands of Americans.” [Twitter, @SenMcSallyAZ, 4/7/20]

McSally: “Chinese Propaganda & WHO Complicity Cost American Lives & Muddled Our COVID-19 Response.” “Couldn’t agree more. Chinese propaganda & WHO complicity cost American lives & muddled our COVID-19 response. WHO’s Director-General should resign & China’s voting privileges suspended immediately. Congress needs to investigate WHO’s ties to China & reconsider funding levels.” [Twitter, @SenMcSallyAZ, 4/7/20]

McSally’s Record On Health Care Has Left Arizonans Exposed And She Continues To Lie About Her Opposition To Protecting People With Pre-Existing Conditions

Despite the positive impact of the Affordable Care Act in Arizona, McSally has repeatedly voted to repeal the health care law, and she refuses to condemn the Texas lawsuit that would end Medicaid expansion and rip coverage away from nearly 300,000 Arizonans. 

McSally Voted Twice To Repeal The ACA. During her time in the House, McSally famously encouraged her GOP colleagues to “get this f***ing thing done” and repeal the ACA. After repeal ultimately failed in the Senate, she called for a fresh start from the “failed” ACA.

• 2015: McSally Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. McSally voted for HR 596, an act “to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” The bill also ordered House committees to develop a replacement that would “provide people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage,” but provided no specifics. [HR 596, Roll Call Vote #58, 2/3/15] 
• 2017: McSally Voted For AHCA. McSally voted for passage of the American Health Care Act. [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17] 

Martha McSally: It’s “Not My Role” To Oppose The Trump Lawsuit. “Brahm Resnik: Do you support the Trump administration’s support — they’re asking a federal judge to throw out the Affordable Care Act and declare it unconstitutional. Do you support that? Martha McSally: Again, it’s not my role, but in my view, if we could start all over again, we would do it differently.” [KPNX, 5/17/19] 

• McSally Voted For The Tax Bill Which Forms The Basis For The Lawsuit. McSally voted for the Republican tax bill, which repealed a key provision of the Affordable Care Act that required most people to have health coverage and which is the basis of the entire lawsuit seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act.
• McSally Refused To Support Authorizing The Senate Legal Counsel To Intervene In The Trump-Republican Lawsuit And Defend The Aca. McSally refused to sponsor a resolution (S. Res. 18), which would authorize Senate legal counsel to defend the Affordable Care Act against attack in Texas v. Azar.

Read More About the Widespread Support for Protect Our Care’s Priorities for the Next Coronavirus Relief Package Here

Washington, DC — On a press call this morning, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), Congressman Colin Allred (D-TX-32) and Protect Our Care discussed the need for Congress to include critical health care provisions in the next coronavirus response package that are supported by a bipartisan majority of Americans, according to a new survey from Public Policy Polling. These provisions include funding adequate testing, supporting Medicaid expansion and a Special Enrollment Period for the uninsured, and opposing the Trump-ACA repeal lawsuit that would rip health care away from more than 20 million Americans as Americans grapple with the coronavirus crisis. The poll also found that a majority of Americans disapprove of the job President Trump has done on health care.

Call Audio Available Here

Key findings from the poll:

• 80% of respondents, including 84% of independents and 70% of Republicans, support reforming the health care system to increase financial assistance for those who need it the most and make sure no American spends more than 10% of their income on health insurance.
• 79% of respondents support expanding Medicaid so more low and moderate income Americans can qualify and get treated for coronavirus and other health care needs. This is also popular among independents (83%) and Republicans (65%).
• 79% of respondents support Congress requiring that testing and care reach communities of color. This includes 80% of independents and 63% of Republicans voters.
• 76% of respondents, including 72% of independents and 67% of Republicans, support a special enrollment period to allow uninsured Americans to sign up for affordable coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
• The Affordable Care Act remains popular with voters. Only 29% of voters support the Trump administration lawsuit to strike down the ACA.
• President Trump’s approval on health care is underwater by 10 points among American voters (51-41). Among independents, the margin is even wider: 62% disapprove of the job he’s doing on health care, while just 31% approve.

“We know that COVID-19 has only made our cause more urgent, and our next relief packages need to include a range of health care protections and funding,” said Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14). “We cannot stop there; we must keep an eye on the bigger picture. COVID-19 is a once in a generation crisis that will change our world forever. But, it’s also a once in a generation opportunity to catapult us into a stronger health system for everyone.”

“In a future COVID-19 response package, we need a clear plan to ramp up testing, tracing and treatment across America,” said Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32). “Priority number one should be investing in taking this virus head-on and shoring up health programs that can help regular people now. From Medicaid expansion in Texas to a special enrollment period to ending attacks against the Affordable Care Act — I will keep fighting in Congress to lower costs and expand coverage to those who need it.” 

“There has never been a more important time to ensure Americans have access to quality and affordable health care, which is why the next COVID bill needs to be a health care bill,” said Leslie Dach, Chair of Protect Our Care. “Americans, regardless of political party, are more worried than ever about their health and the health of their families and rightly expect to be able to be tested and treated with quality, affordable health care if they get sick, now or in the future. Americans agree: it’s time for President Trump and Republicans to support these provisions and drop their disastrous lawsuit to repeal the ACA and end their support for junk plans that don’t include protections for pre-existing conditions.”

Protect Our Care marked Medicaid Awareness Month throughout April with activities nationwide, highlighting Medicaid’s overwhelming importance as the country grapples with a crisis that threatens Americans’ health and safety. Medicaid is an essential program for more than 70 million Americans currently receiving coverage, including more than 35 million children and 7.2 million seniors. Despite its successes, Medicaid is continuously under attack from President Trump and Republicans. From proposing massive cuts to Medicaid in his budgets, his Texas lawsuit that would end Medicaid expansion to encouraging states to impose draconian work requirements and block grants that would kick people off the rolls, Trump has been on a long march to end Medicaid since the day he took office. 

“Medicaid is a lifeline for millions of Americans, and its importance has never been more clear as America grapples with the coronavirus crisis that threatens everyone’s health and safety,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Despite its successes – providing health insurance to children and those with disabilities and coverage for seniors and Americans in rural communities – Medicaid is still under attack from President Trump and Republicans who want to gut the program and end Medicaid expansion at a time when the health and safety of Americans has never been more at risk. April was Medicaid Awareness Month, but every day we will fight to defend a health care program that so many millions of Americans rely on.” 

Here’s a look at the activities and some of the news coverage that took place over Medicaid Awareness Month:

NATIONAL:
Wednesday, April 1 – Medicaid is A Critical Part of America’s Response to the Coronavirus, But President Trump Wants to Gut It
The Medicaid program is a critical part of our response to coronavirus, but President Trump is waging a war on Medicaid. Here are the ways the Trump administration is trying to gut Medicaid and the ways Medicaid is essential to America’s coronavirus response: Read the full fact sheet here.

Tuesday, April 14th – Press Call with Senator Doug Jones (D-AL), Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), Andy Slavitt on the Overwhelming Benefits of Medicaid Expansion During the Coronavirus Crisis
Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) along with Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX-32), former CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt and Protect Our Care held a press call to discuss the overwhelming benefits of Medicaid and why Medicaid expansion is needed now more than ever as America grapples with the coronavirus crisis. Listen to the call here and read POC’s report, “Medicaid Expansion, A Critical Part Of America’s Response to the Coronavirus, Is Under Threat From President Trump” here.

• North Dallas Gazette: Rep. Allred Op-Ed: Now more than ever, Texas must expand Medicaid to save lives [4/27/20]
• Alabama Daily News: New Coalition Pushes For Medicaid expansion, Republicans Remain Reluctant [4/16/20]
• WKRG (CBS Mobile): Sen. Jones: Coronoavirus Shows Need For Medicaid Expansion [4/14/20]
• AL.com: Why Hasn’t Alabama Expanded Medicaid During The Pandemic? [4/15/20]
• Montgomery Advertiser: “The Coronavirus Outbreak Has Upended Daily Life In Alabama, But One Fact Remains Constant: Republican Leaders Resist Medicaid Expansion.” [4/15/20]
• WKRN: Democrats push for Medicaid expansion in next coronavirus relief plan [4/15/20]

Monday, April 20th – Press Call with Senator Angus King (I-ME) Discussing Critical Importance of Medicaid for Rural Communities During the Coronavirus Crisis
Senator Angus King (I-ME) along with State Rep. Anne Perry (D-Calais, ME) and Protect Our Care discussed the overwhelming benefits of Medicaid for rural communities’ access to health care as America confronts the coronavirus crisis. Listen to the call here and read POC’s report, “Rural America in the Balance: Medicaid, Coronavirus & Rural Hospitals,” here.

• WABI 5: Rural hospitals feeling the financial strain of fighting COVID-19 [4/20/20]
• FOX 22: Pandemic especially hard on rural healthcare providers, King says [4/21/20]

ARIZONA
Thursday, April 30th — Rural Health Zoom Roundtable with State Rep. Charlene Fernandez, Providers and Health Care Advocates
Protect Our Care Arizona hosted a virtual roundtable with Jeff Jeans—a cancer survivor—and Rep. Charlene Fernandez, the Democratic Leader of the Arizona House of Representatives who represents Arizona’s fourth legislative district, which includes a handful of rural counties. Jeff Jeans, who survived advanced cancer and relies on the Affordable Care Act for ongoing access to care described how ongoing Republican health care sabotage leaves Arizonans like him at risk. Speakers on the call urged lawmakers to protect Arizona’s rural hospitals, which are playing a critical role in combating coronavirus in the state. You can see a recording of the roundtable here.

COLORADO
Tuesday, April 7th – Our Lives on the Line Digital Town Hall
Protect Our Care was joined by health care advocates, consumers, and experts on a Digital Town Hall to discuss the critical role Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act are playing in Colorado’s response to COVID-19. Medicaid expansion granted coverage to 453,400 Coloradans, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. With more than 80,000 Coloradans filing for unemployment due the pandemic, it is especially important for low-income adults to have a place to turn for coverage in this public health emergency. Watch the entire Digital Town Hall here.

• Colorado Times Recorder: Why Are Gardner and Trump Trying to Dismantle Obamacare During a Pandemic, Ask Advocates [4/7/20]

Friday, April 17th – Op-Ed by Alice Kresh
Alice Kresh, whose son was diagnosed with a severe defect called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia and relies on Medicaid for access to care, penned an op-ed in the Colorado Independent on the importance of protecting the program. “Even in the face of a global health crisis, the Trump administration and our own Senator Cory Gardner continue to sabotage and attack Medicaid, leaving Coloradans’ health care hanging in the balance. Republicans have spent years undermining Medicaid and Trump’s war on Medicaid has been cruel and unending. For families like mine, these attacks have real and dangerous consequences.”

• The Colorado Independent: Medicaid saved my son’s life, it saves lives in a pandemic too [4/17/20]

Thursday, April 30th — Rural Health Zoom Roundtable with State Sen. Kerry Donovan, State Rep. Dylan Roberts and Health Care Experts
Protect Our Care Colorado hosted a virtual roundtable with State Senator Kerry Donovan (SD 5), Representative Dylan Roberts (HD 26), Adam Fox with Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, and Ross Brooks, the Chief Executive Officer of Mountain Family Health Centers to discuss the critical role of Medicaid in supporting rural Colorado’s response to COVID-19. Speakers on the call highlighted how Medicaid has allowed hospitals in rural Colorado to remain open, but warned that the coronavirus pandemic is straining these resources. Participants explained how now more than ever, it is both irresponsible and outright cruel for Trump and Republicans to wage a political war on our access to health care. You can see a recording of the roundtable here.

Thursday, April 30th – Former Governor John Hickenlooper (D-CO) Marks Medicaid Awareness Month with Former CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt
“April is Medicaid Awareness Month. When I was Governor, we passed bipartisan Medicaid expansion and got nearly 95% of Colorado covered. Today, Republicans are still attacking Medicaid. I spoke with @ASlavitt about why we need to protect access to health care now more than ever.” [John Hickenlooper Twitter, 4/30/20]

GEORGIA
Monday, April 13th – Press Call with State Sen. Nikema Williams
Protect Our Care Georgia was joined by Dr. Melanie Thompson and State Senator Nikema Williams on a press call to discuss how Georgia’s refusal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act is undermining the response to COVID-19. 885,000 Georgians could have gained health coverage if Georgia had expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Senator Williams also discussed her experience contracting and recovering from COVID-19, and Dr. Thompson, an HIV expert, highlighted the importance of providing care for everyone to ensure the health and safety of the entire community. Listen to the press call here.

Wednesday, April 29th – Digital Press Conference on Rural Health
Protect Our Care Georgia convened a digital press conference to discuss how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting rural Georgia, and what leaders can do to increase access to care and help struggling hospitals. Participants included two rural doctors, an epidemiologist, and the Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives. They condemned the governor’s lifting of social distancing restrictions and called for the expansion of Medicaid in the state. View the press conference here.

• Capitol Beat: End nears for Georgia shelter-in-place order, extension undecided [4/29/20]
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Kemp poised to lift restrictions, despite warnings of renewed outbreak [4/29/20]
• Valdosta Daily Times: Rural doctors worry about lifting social distancing [4/29/20]
• Georgia Recorder: Dem state lawmaker urges Kemp to expand Medicaid to fight COVID-19 [4/30/20]
• Athens Banner-Herald: End nears for Georgia shelter-in-place order; extension undecided [4/29/20]
• The Daily Tribune News: End nears for Georgia shelter-in-place order, extension undecided [4/29/20]

IOWA
Friday, April 10th – Press Call with State Sen. Claire Celsi
Progress Iowa and Protect Our Care Iowa were joined by Iowa Senator Claire Celsi, Denise Rathman, the Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers Iowa Chapter, and Mary Horsman, a respiratory therapist from Des Moines, on a press call to discuss the critical role Medicaid is playing in Iowa’s response to COVID-19 and Gov. Kim Reynold’s failures to secure Iowa in the face of crisis. You can listen to a full recording of the call here.

Thursday, April 23rd – Rural Health Care Zoom Roundtable
Progress Iowa and Protect Our Care were joined by former Lt. Governor Patty Judge, Iowa Senator Pam Jochum, Iowa Representative Timi Brown-Powers, and Dr. Rossana Rosa at a virtual town hall to discuss how communities in rural Iowa are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus, and how the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid is keeping Iowans safe and healthy, and providing rural hospitals with the resources needed to fight the spread of the virus, despite ongoing attacks from Gov. Reynolds, Senators Ernst and Grassley, and President Trump. You can watch a full recording of the call here.

MICHIGAN
Saturday, April 25th – Op-Ed by Local Health Care Official
Protect Our Care Michigan worked with Janet Olszewski, former director of the Michigan Department of Community Health, to place an op-ed in Bridge Michigan on the importance of protecting Medicaid. “As Michigan and the rest of the United States grapples with the spread of COVID-19, it is more important than ever that every American has access to quality, affordable health care. Medicaid is a lifeline for people with limited resources providing 2.5 million Michigan residents access to life-saving health care.”

• Bridge Michigan: During this coronavirus crisis, Medicaid must be protected [4/25/20]

MINNESOTA
Thursday, April 16th – Medicaid Awareness Press Call with State Sen. Matt Klein, State Rep. Alice Mann, and State Rep. Kelly Morrison
Protect Our Care Minnesota was joined by State Sen. Matt Klein, DFL-Mendota Heights, state Rep. Alice Mann, DFL-Lakeville, and state Rep. Kelly Morrison, DFL-Deephaven on a press call to discuss the legislators’ firsthand experiences providing health care during a pandemic. As state legislators and physicians, participants explained how misinformation puts Minnesotans and millions of Americans in danger, and urged the Trump administration to prioritize access to health care amid the COVID-19 pandemic. You can listen to the call audio here.

MONTANA
Friday, April 24th – Rural Health Care Townhall
Protect Our Care Montana hosted a press call with State Senator Jenn Gross and State Representative Barbara Bessette to discuss the latest report on the state of rural health care in Montana. You can listen to a recording of the press call here.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Thursday, April 23rd – Tele-Town Hall with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
More than 35 advocates and citizens joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Protect Our Care New Hampshire in a tele-town hall to highlight the vital importance of Medicaid and the ACA, especially as the state responds to the coronavirus pandemic. A New Hampshire resident shared her own story about the importance of Medicaid for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and advocacy groups such as Granite State Progress Education Fund, Covering New Hampshire, Bi-State Primary Care Association, Kent Street Coalition, Able NH, and the New Hampshire Medical Society asked the Senator questions. Listen to the call here.

• Nashua Telegraph: Sen. Shaheen emphasizes importance of ACA [4/24/20]

Tuesday, April 28th – Roundtable with Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01)
Protect Our Care New Hampshire was joined by Rep. Chris Pappas on a video roundtable to discuss how communities in rural New Hampshire are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus, as well as how Medicaid is keeping Granite Staters healthy while also providing rural hospitals with the resources needed to fight the spread of the virus. Joining Congressman Pappas at the roundtable were more than 20 people, including representatives from Granite State Progress, Laconia Housing, Bi-State Primary Health Care, Kent Street Coalition, Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, and New Futures. Watch the roundtable here.

• Nashua Telegraph: Pappas: We need adequate federal response on testing, rural health care [4/29/20]

NEVADA
Thursday, April 9th – Zoom Roundtable with Congresswoman Dina Tutus (NV-01)
Protect Our Care Nevada hosted a Medicaid Zoom Roundtable with cancer survivor and Medicaid recipient, Make it Work Nevada, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN), State Assemblywoman Michelle Gorelow, and Congresswoman Dina Titus. Speakers discussed the importance of Medicaid for Nevadans, ways to improve the program, the role that Medicaid expansion has played in getting more people access to care, and President Trump’s continued threats to destroy Medicaid. You can watch a full recording of the round table discussion here. 

NORTH CAROLINA
Wednesday, April 8th — Press Call with Congressman G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) and NC Justice Center
Protect Our Care North Carolina was joined by Congressman G.K. Butterfield and William Munn, of the North Carolina Justice Center on a press call to discuss how North Carolina’s refusal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act is undermining the response to COVID-19. Speakers urged Republican lawmakers in North Carolina to move to expand Medicaid in response to the public health emergency, and explained how expansion would support not only North Carolinians, but also the state’s hospitals, which are struggling to operate with limited resources. You can listen to the call audio here.

Tuesday, April 28th – Medicaid Expansion Advocacy Day Press Call with North Carolina Justice Center
Protect Our Care North Carolina joined Health Action NC, a statewide coalition of organizations dedicated to the fight for expanding Medicaid on a press call to kickoff the first annual Digital Medicaid Expansion Advocacy Day. On the call, Rep. Verla Insko; Joe Weissfield, Director of Medicaid Initiatives of Families USA; Dr. William Munn of the NC Justice Center; and Penelope Wingard, a North Carolina resident who is in our state’s coverage gap, explained how North Carolina Republican’s refusal to expand Medicaid has left more than half a million North Carolinians without access to health care. Speakers urged Republican legislators to set politics aside, and prioritize access to health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can listen to the call audio here.

Washington, DC — Today, the Supreme Court reversed a decision by the Trump administration in July of 2018 to suspend risk adjustment payments that were included in the Affordable Care Act to help offer more affordable coverage to everyone, regardless of if they are healthy or sick. By refusing to make risk adjustment payments — even though they didn’t cost the taxpayer a single penny — President Trump and his administration made it harder for people with pre-existing conditions to access coverage, and drove up premiums for millions. This Supreme Court decision is one week before the House of Representatives and Democratic Attorneys General submit briefs to the court in opposition to the Trump lawsuit to overturn the entire ACA. Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach released the following statement in response: 

“Today, the Supreme Court overruled an early attack by the Trump administration to undermine the Affordable Care Act — a decision by President Trump that raised insurance premiums for millions of Americans. Next week, the court begins its consideration of President Trump’s most outrageous action of all to rip apart Americans health care, a lawsuit that would take coverage away from 20 million Americans during a global pandemic. This is an outrageous attack by the president on America’s health care at the worst possible time.” 

Washington, D.C. — Today, Protect Our Care announced that it will merge its online health care community with the Obamacare grassroots online community, combining a network of 700,000+ influencers, activists, and storytellers into a health care messaging hub.

Protect Our Care’s Digital Director Sean England released the following statement:

“From driving open enrollment to lifting up stories of everyday Americans, the Obamacare online community has been such a powerful tool in the health care fight, and we are excited to join forces and create a unified community that can reach hundreds of thousands of Americans.”