News

People of color are experiencing higher rates of coronavirus, and preliminary data shows they are more likely to die from the disease. People of color are less likely to be insured, one of many barriers to helping them access quality health care. This grim news comes as President Trump continues to reject common sense measures to help reduce these disparities, such as opening a special enrollment period or encouraging holdout states to expand Medicaid during this crisis. 

Washington Post: The Coronavirus Is Infecting And Killing Black Americans At An Alarmingly High Rate. “As the novel coronavirus sweeps across the United States, it appears to be infecting and killing black Americans at a disproportionately high rate, according to a Washington Post analysis of early data from jurisdictions across the country….A Post analysis of available data and census demographics shows that counties that are majority-black have three times the rate of infections and almost six times the rate of deaths as counties where white residents are in the majority.” [Washington Post, 4/7/20] 

Politico: Health Professionals Warn Of ‘Explosion’ Of Coronavirus Cases In Minority Communities. “Covid-19 has pushed to the forefront longtime health disparities among black, brown, Native American and other minority populations in the country. Health professionals have warned that black and Latino populations are at potentially greater risk of severe illness from the coronavirus, due to prevalent comorbidities such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and asthma. Minority groups are also less likely to have health insurance, complicating their ability and willingness to seek treatment for illnesses.” [Politico, 4/6/20] 

New York Times: Black Americans Face Alarming Rates Of Coronavirus Infection In Some States. “For many public health experts, the reasons behind the disparities are not difficult to explain, the result of longstanding structural inequalities. At a time when the authorities have advocated staying home as the best way to avoid the virus, black Americans disproportionately belong to part of the work force that does not have the luxury of working from home, experts said. That places them at high risk for contracting the highly infectious disease in transit or at work…Longstanding inequalities also make African-Americans less likely to be insured, and more likely to have existing health conditions and face racial bias that prevents them from getting proper treatment.” [New York Times, 4/7/20] 

The Hill: Black, Latino Communities Suffering Disproportionately From Coronavirus, Statistics Show. “Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, noted that Latinos are disproportionately affected by conditions like heart disease and diabetes and are already more likely to lack access to health care. “ [The Hill, 4/7/20] 

Vox: Covid-19 Is Disproportionately Taking Black Lives. “‘It’s almost like structural racism has made black people sick,’ Uché Blackstock, an emergency medicine physician in Brooklyn and the founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, an organization that fights health care inequity, tells Vox…According to Blackstock, the pandemic is exposing a deep-rooted system of the haves and have-nots. It’s also displaying how black and brown people have a more tenuous existence in New York City since they lack job security, sick leave, and health insurance. They must ride public transportation to get to work on the front lines, many of them driving the buses themselves or cleaning the hospitals where they are directly at risk.” [Vox, 4/7/20] 

Axios: Coronavirus Hits Poor, Minority Communities Harder. “A slew of pre-existing disparities are contributing to this coronavirus disparity…Lower-income workers are less likely to have health insurance. They’re also less likely to be able to work from home, and therefore more likely to have to keep going to work and putting themselves at risk.” [Axios, 4/4/20] 

Kaiser Health News: Long-Standing Racial And Income Disparities Seen Creeping Into COVID-19 Care. “The biotech data firm Rubix Life Sciences, based in Lawrence, Massachusetts, reviewed recent billing information in several states and found that an African American with symptoms like cough and fever was less likely to be given one of the scarce coronavirus tests. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can be harmful, especially for racial or ethnic minority groups that have higher rates of certain diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Those chronic illnesses can lead to more severe cases of COVID-19.” [Kaiser Health News, 4/6/20] 

BACKGROUND:

Medicaid Expansion Helps Reduce Racial Disparities. Medicaid expansion played a key role in increasing coverage rates for communities of color. After the implementation of the ACA, gaps in insurance coverage narrowed the most in states that adopted Medicaid expansion. Today, a black person living in an expansion state is more likely to be insured than a white person residing in a state that rejected Medicaid expansion. Study after study showed that expansion improved health care outcomes for communities of color. 

A Special Enrollment Period Would Help Communities Of Color. People of color are far more likely to work in low-wage jobs that don’t provide health coverage. As millions of Americans are losing their jobs during this crisis, a special enrollment period would not only help those who lost employer-based insurance sign-up for coverage without onerous paperwork requirements, but it would also ensure those who were uninsured before the crisis gain comprehensive coverage. People with insurance are more likely to see a doctor when they are sick, and they are protected from steep medical bills that they could incur from coronavirus. 

Protect Our Care Held a Press Call to Discuss How President Trump’s Refusal to Open a Special ACA Enrollment Period Puts Millions of Americans at Risk 

Press Call Audio

Washington, DC — On a press call this morning, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), former CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt along with Protect Our Care urged President Trump to open a special enrollment period to allow uninsured Americans to access health coverage under the ACA during the coronavirus crisis. So far, President Trump has refused to open a special ACA marketplace to allow the uninsured to purchase health insurance during the crisis, despite calls from health insurers and lawmakers to do so to slow the spread of the virus and save American lives.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has forced politicians and government officials of all political stripes to think outside the box, work together and set-aside rigid partisanship. The health, safety and well-being of all Americans must come first,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). “A special open enrollment period wouldn’t be a heavy lift for the Trump administration yet it would give millions of Americans access to health care coverage during the worst global pandemic since the 1918 Spanish flu. This is a time for national unity and bipartisanship, not narrow ideological agendas. It’s time for the Trump administration to move past its opposition to the ACA and the lifesaving health care coverage that it provides, and do what’s right for public health and safety.” 

“Nothing shows how important it is for all of our neighbors to have the health care they need then a pandemic,” said former CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt. “And yet, somehow, Trump still opposes the ACA’s insurance protections and pre-existing conditions protections.”

“President Trump is putting American lives at risk by refusing to allow the 27 million uninsured Americans the choice to get affordable health insurance through the Affordable Care Act at a time when people need health care the most,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Millions of uninsured Americans are facing unprecedented threats to their health due to coronavirus and the possibility of devastating health care bills, and still President Trump is blocking them from accessing affordable coverage through the ACA marketplace. If President Trump were serious about protecting the health and safety of the American people, he would immediately open enrollment and end his disastrous lawsuit that would rip health care away from 20 million Americans during a crisis.” 

BACKGROUND: 

Trump’s Sabotage Of The ACA Leaves The U.S. Less Prepared 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 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. 
• Trump’s Texas Lawsuit And Other Efforts To Repeal The ACA Would Cut Key Funding From The CDC. GOP repeal bills would have eliminated the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund. In 2017, the Washington Post reported that this fund “provides almost $1 billion annually to CDC, now about 12 percent of CDC’s budget. It includes prevention of bioterrorism and disease outbreaks, as well as money to provide immunizations and heart-disease screenings.” The Trump administration is currently supporting a lawsuit that could repeal the ACA in its entirety, and there is no plan to maintain this funding if the courts overturn the health care law. 
• 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.
• Efforts To Undermine Medicaid Expansion Threaten Coverage For Millions. In addition to seeking to repeal the health care law altogether, Trump has proposed measures that specifically target the ACA’s expansion of Medicaid. The administration has encouraged states to impose illegal work requirements on the expansion population that are designed to throw people off coverage. Additionally, under the Trump administration’s proposed block grant, federal funding would no longer necessarily increase in response to a public health emergency. This could lead to people losing coverage and access to care, undermining prevention and treatment of diseases nationwide.
• Thanks In Part To His Sabotage Of The ACA, The Uninsured Rate Is Rising Under Trump. Between cutting funding for education and outreach to imposing Medicaid work requirements, Trump has made it harder to enroll in coverage. Uninsured individuals are far less likely to seek medical treatment when they are sick. At least 7 million people have already lost coverage under Trump, and experts warn that recent enactment of anti-immigration policies will only serve to deter more people from gaining coverage and seeking medical treatment.

Washington, DC – The Supreme Court announced Friday that opening briefs for petitioners in Texas v. United States, the Trump-Republican lawsuit to overturn the ACA will be due on May 6. This announcement means that President Trump’s determination to rip health care away from 20 million Americans will be on full display during the coronavirus crisis and just months before the November election. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement: 

“This announcement means that President Trump’s lawsuit to rip health care away from 20 million Americans and protections from 135 million with pre-existing conditions will be front and center as Americans grapple with the coronavirus crisis and months before the November elections. It’s outrageous that when millions of Americans are more concerned than ever about their health and safety, Republicans will be arguing in court why it’s necessary to rip health care away from them when they need it most.” 

Washington, DC — Today, at the daily coronavirus briefing, President Trump once again refused to reopen that ACA marketplaces and instead implied they would be employing a reimbursement scheme that makes little sense and still leaves the uninsured at risk. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“President Trump has once again decided to harm Americans who need health care by refusing to give them access to quality affordable insurance under the ACA. The administration simply refuses to do the right thing and people’s health will suffer. President Trump has the power today to open the ACA marketplaces but instead is proposing a new bureaucracy that requires congressional approval, will likely cost people and the government more money and leave Americans at risk for the costs of non-covid illnesses. Shame on them.”

On Wednesday, Protect Our Care hosted a press call with Senator Bob Casey, SEIU President Mary Kay Henry as well as Michigan State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud and medical workers on the front lines of fighting coronavirus. Coverage from outlets in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin highlighted the dire calls from the lawmakers and health care workers for the Trump administration to step up and give those on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis the supplies they need. Also on the call, Protect Our Care unveiled new ads that are running in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin which criticize President Trump for failing to prepare Americans for the threat of coronavirus. 

Coverage from Protect Our Care’s Press Call:

PA Capital-Star: Trump Admin Failing ‘Soldiers’ on COVID-19 Front Lines, Pa.’s Casey Says. “The Trump administration is failing to properly protect the health care workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey told reporters Wednesday. “These brave soldiers heading into battle — hour after hour, day after day, now week after week — without the protective equipment that they need is not only embarrassing, it is very, very dangerous and it’s not in any way consistent with our values,” Casey said. “These frontline health care workers need a lot more help. The administration has a lot of explaining to do and should mobilize today to make sure they can get this done.” Health care workers across the country have reported dangerous shortages of personal protective equipment as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread. Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, said on the press call Wednesday that caregivers across the country are “working without sufficient personal protective equipment.” She called on the government to “immediately and for the duration of the crisis, procure, produce and provide ample personal protective equipment to health care workers.” [PA Capital-Star, 4/1/20] 

Michigan Advance: Fear and Exhaustion in Detroit, State’s COVID-19 ‘Epicenter.’ “Moore and Henry were among those who spoke on the conference call hosted Wednesday by Protect Our Care, an advocacy group that’s running ads against President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus in critical swing states: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn), an epidemiologist who also joined the call, said he’s been receiving two principal types of phone calls from his constituents lately. “One is those looking for unemployment support, and the second are those seeking [personal protective equipment (PPE)] who are on the front lines or for their family members or friends on the front lines.” On Tuesday, he received an email from a mother who reached out on behalf of her daughter, an emergency room physician at a Michigan hospital who is ‘not equipped with any of the PPE she needs to protect herself so that she can fully assist others without fear for her own life and without fear for putting her family at risk for when she is exposed, only a matter of when.’” [Michigan Advance, 4/1/20]

CBS 21 Harrisburg: Healthcare Workers Join Sen. Casey to Address Concerns Over Their Working Conditions. “Sen. Bob Casey joined forces with the Protect Our Care Organization on Wednesday to bring awareness to some of those conditions. Many say they are battling the coronavirus outbreak without enough ventilators, masks or protective gear. “Let’s make no mistake. We are at war; at war with this virus that has disseminated not only our public health infrastructure, but also our economy for years to come, and it is time that we utilize each and every single tool we have, and that means using the DPA [Defense Production Act] to meet the demands and help our workers on the front lines,” Casey said. Many healthcare workers added that they do not believe the current statewide and national response has been enough.” [CBS 21, 4/1/20]

Philadelphia Tribune: Health Care Workers, Union Leaders, Elected Officials Call for Increased Production of Masks and Other Personal Protective Equipment. “Tinae Moore, an emergency room technician, highlighted the challenges of working at Detroit Medical Center during this crisis. “In the past few weeks, our ER staff has been cut in half,” said Moore, who had to be quarantined after showing symptoms of COVID-19. “Due to not having proper PPE, a lot of us are getting sick. “A few days after the pandemic started, my hospital management took all of the PPE available to the staff members off the shelves where it was normally located and locked it away and we were only dispersed minimal protection at a time.” [Philadelphia Tribune, 4/1/20] 

Wisconsin Examiner: Health Care Workers Scrap Old Routines, Confront New Risks. “On a media call Wednesday morning organized by Protect Our Care, a Washington, D.C., organization that has campaigned to preserve and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, Joe McGinn, a Madison emergency room nurse, echoed support for that approach. “Every day we’re coming up with our own contingency plans to prepare for the days and weeks ahead,” said McGinn, an SEIU member, He credited the union with being able to engage in “difficult conversations with employers” about the need for PPE that non-union employees might not be able to.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 4/2/20]

Daily Item (PA): Casey, Union President: Health Care Workers Need Help. “The dire need for providing health care workers with more ventilators, masks and other personal protective equipment that are vital on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis was the subject of a Wednesday morning conference call attended by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, and Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry. Front-line health care workers need help, Casey began, ‘and the Trump administration has a lot of explaining to do. These brave soldiers, heading into battle, hour after hour, day after day, and now week after week without the protective equipment that they need is not only embarrassing, but it is very dangerous. It is not in any way consistent with our values.’” [Daily Item, 4/1/20]

Washington, DC — The Trump administration continues to refuse to re-open enrollment for uninsured Americans in the federal ACA marketplace. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:

“Once again, the Trump administration has shown it doesn’t care about health care in America. President Trump’s failure to prepare for the coronavirus crisis has meant more Americans are getting sick and more Americans are losing their jobs. At a time when millions of uninsured people are facing the possibility of coronavirus and devastating health care bills, President Trump still refuses to let them buy affordable coverage through the ACA marketplace. No wonder the American people don’t trust this administration on health care. Thank goodness Democrats in Congress continue to try and force the administration to do the right thing by calling on them to re-open the exchanges and passing legislation condemning President Trump’s disastrous lawsuit that would take away coverage from 20 million Americans who have insurance today.”

BACKGROUND:

New York Times: Obamacare Markets Will Not Reopen, Trump Decides. “The Trump administration has decided against reopening the Affordable Care Act’s Healthcare.gov marketplaces to new customers, despite broad layoffs and growing fears that people will be uninsured during the coronavirus outbreak. The option to reopen markets, in what is known as a special enrollment period, would have made it easier for people who have recently lost jobs or who had already been uninsured to obtain health insurance.” [New York Times, 4/1/20] 

New York Times: The Administration “Divided” On Special Enrollment Period “Given The President’s Support For The Lawsuit That Would Overturn The Law.” “Insurers, which had been arguing in favor of the enrollment period, had been hopeful just a few days ago that the White House might announce such a step. But the situation suddenly became ‘fluid,’ in the description of one executive. Another described the administration as divided about whether to proceed, especially given the president’s support for the lawsuit that would overturn the law.” [New York Times, 4/1/20] 

Politico: White House Sources Said Trump’s Decision To Reject Special Enrollment “Was Ultimately Made To Avoid Muddling The Administration’s Position On The Affordable Care Act As Trump Urges The Supreme Court To Throw Out The Law.” “Despite Trump’s decision on Obamacare, people who lost their workplace health insurance amid a record surge in employment are still likely eligible for coverage through a special enrollment period for people experiencing certain life circumstances. But millions of more uninsured Americans who don’t qualify for a special allowance will remain shut out from the marketplaces until they reopen in the fall. Sources familiar with discussions between insurers and the administration believe Trump’s decision was ultimately made to avoid muddling the administration’s position on the Affordable Care Act as Trump urges the Supreme Court to throw out the law.” [Politico, 4/1/20] 

Vox: Decision To Reject Open Enrollment Period “Follows A Long-Established Pattern By The Administration To Weaken And Discourage Enrollees To The ACA At Nearly Every Turn Possible.” “The decision follows a long-established pattern by the administration to weaken and discourage enrollees to the ACA at nearly every turn possible. Administration officials also signaled Monday that they would be proceeding with supporting a federal lawsuit scheduled for oral arguments this fall at the Supreme Court which could potentially end the ACA altogether. That would result in millions of people getting thrown off their ACA health insurance plans.” [Vox, 4/1/20] 

Vox: People Who Reside In States That Rejected Medicaid Expansion “Will Be Hurt The Most By The Trump Administration’s Decision Not To Reopen The ACA Marketplace.” “It’s those folks, who were already uninsured before getting laid off and aren’t eligible for Medicaid, who will be hurt the most by the Trump administration’s decision not to reopen the ACA marketplace. That’s why New York, California, and other states have decided to do so in their own marketplaces.” [Vox, 4/1/20] 

Vanity Fair: Decision To Reject Special Enrollment Period Comes As “Republican-Led States And The Trump Administration Have Resolved To Keep Moving Forward WIth Their Lawsuit TO Kill The ACA Despite The Coronavirus.” “The Trump administration’s refusal to allow more Americans to easily sign up for ACA insurance isn’t the GOP’s only attack on the health care program in the midst of the global pandemic, as Republican-led states and the Trump administration have resolved to keep moving forward with their lawsuit to kill the ACA despite the coronavirus.” [Vanity Fair, 4/2/20] 

Salon: Trump Refuses To Reopen Obamacare Exchanges After Millions Of Laid-Off Workers Lose Health Coverage. “The Trump administration has refused to reopen Obamacare exchanges to allow millions of laid-off workers get health insurance, even though the White House estimated that hundreds of thousands of Americans will die as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.” [Salon, 4/1/20] 

Forbes: “The Trump Administration Has Decided Against Opening Up A Special Enrollment Period..Instead Doubling Down On His Support Of A Lawsuit By Republican States Aimed At Killing The Entire Affordable Care Act.” “The Trump administration has decided against opening up a special enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, instead doubling down on his support of a lawsuit by Republican states aimed at killing the entire Affordable Care Act…It would seem the move by the Trump Administration to not open a special ACA enrollment period is just one in a series of steps the administration has taken to kill the program, even as America reels under the poorly planned for COVID-19 pandemic.” [Forbes, 3/1/20] 

Politico: Trump’s Decision To Reject Special Enrollment Period Comes After He “Doubled Down On His Support Of A Lawsuit By Republican States That Could Destroy The Entire Affordable Care Act.” “Trump confirmed last week he was seriously considering a special enrollment period, but he also doubled down on his support of a lawsuit by Republican states that could destroy the entire Affordable Care Act, along with coverage for the 20 million people insured through the law.” [Politico, 3/31/20] 

BuzzFeed News: Donald Trump Won’t Open The Obamacare Markets During The Coronavirus Outbreak. “The Trump administration will not open up Obamacare enrollment, denying millions of people the chance to buy health insurance during the coronavirus outbreak…The Trump administration has taken a cold view of administering the Obamacare markets since day one. It has backed the Republican push to repeal the ACA that failed in Congress and taken various steps to weaken the marketplaces, such as shortening enrollment periods and opening up competition from unregulated plans that are cheaper but pay out far lower benefits. Most importantly, the administration is breaking with the convention of defending established law and backing a legal fight to have the entire ACA thrown out as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case this year.” [BuzzFeed News, 4/1/20]

Ads Blast President Trump for His Disastrous Coronavirus Response and Failure to Provide Those on the Front Lines of the Crisis With Adequate Testing, Ventilators, Masks and Other Supplies

View the ads: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin 

Washington, DC — Protect Our Care is launching new ads in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin holding President Trump accountable for his failure to prepare America for the coronavirus crisis. President Trump has downplayed the threat of coronavirus from the beginning. And now, as the virus ravages communities in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and across the country, Trump’s refusal to listen to medical experts and lack of preparedness is actively hurting hospital workers and medical professionals on the front lines who are without critical supplies such as tests, ventilators, beds and other equipment they desperately need to keep themselves and their patients safe. 

The 30 second ads will run on cable in select markets in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

“President Trump has botched the response to this crisis from the beginning, and now those on the front lines of the coronavirus response are paying the price of his failed leadership,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “President Trump wasted precious time by refusing to listen to medical experts and instead of taking responsibility has lied, spewed misinformation and blamed those on the front lines for his failure to provide them with the testing and protective equipment they need. At a time of extreme crisis for the country, Americans deserve a leader who gives them the truth and put their health and safety first, not one like Trump who makes excuses and blames others for failing to do his job.” 

Ad script: 

President Trump’s failure to prepare America for the coronavirus crisis has made Michigan less safe.

We don’t have nearly enough tests.

Our hospitals are overwhelmed.

Doctors and nurses don’t have the masks, ventilators and supplies they need.

And now more and more Michiganders are out of work.

At a time of extreme crisis, Michigan families need a steady and trusted leader, but Donald Trump has failed that test.

Call the White House. Tell President Trump: Michigan needs stronger leadership.

April is Medicaid Awareness Month and there has never been a more critical time to highlight Medicaid’s overwhelming importance as the country grapples with a crisis that threatens every 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 warpath to end Medicaid since the day he took office. 

Trump’s attacks on Medicaid are exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis that grips the nation. Taking away health care when Americans are more concerned than ever about their health and safety is not only cruel but will actively hurt our ability to stop the coronavirus as more Americans fall ill and need lifesaving treatment. Throughout April, Protect Our Care will highlight Medicaid’s successes while bringing attention to Trump and Republicans’ years-long quest to end the program and take health care away from Americans when they need it most during this crisis. 

To mark the start of Medicaid Awareness Month today, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach released the following statement: 

“There has never been a more important time to illustrate just how critical Medicaid is for millions of Americans who rely on it for essential health care and protections than this April as our country stares down the coronavirus crisis. From providing health insurance to children and those with disabilities to coverage for seniors and Americans in rural communities, Medicaid is a lifeline to millions of Americans across the country who would suffer greatly without it. Despite its successes, 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.”

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: 

Trump Administration’s War On Medicaid Threatens The U.S. Coronavirus Response

Trump Wants To Repeal Medicaid Expansion Through His Texas Lawsuit To Overturn The ACA. The Trump administration is currently backing a lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act and, if they are successful, 20 million people would lose insurance and protections for pre-existing conditions would be eliminated overnight. The lawsuit would also terminate Medicaid expansion, threatening to rip away coverage from 17 million and cut key funding for already-struggling rural hospitals during the pandemic.

Trump Continues To Support Medicaid Block Grants. Under the Trump administration’s recently finalized block grant proposal, federal funding would no longer necessarily increase in response to a public health emergency like coronavirus. This could lead to people losing coverage and access to care, undermining prevention and treatment of diseases nationwide. 

Trump Paved The Way For Medicaid Work Requirements. The administration has encouraged states to impose illegal work requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries that are designed to throw people off coverage. When Arkansas imposed the nation’s first work requirement program, 18,000 people lost coverage. The policy has since been struck down by the courts. While the federal government has temporarily halted any state efforts to impose new eligibility requirements that make it more difficult to enroll, including work requirements, states like Oklahoma and Utah are continuing to pursue Medicaid work requirements and other enrollment restrictions.

Trump Wants To Gut The Medicaid Budget. Trump has repeatedly sought deep health care cuts in his budget proposals, most recently seeking more than a trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act for 2021. This budget essentially ends Medicaid expansion by eliminating the enhanced federal payment and proposes nationwide work requirements. 

Experts Agree: Attacks On Medicaid Put The Country Even More At Risk During the Coronavirus Crisis 

Sara Rosenbaum, Medicaid Expert At George Washington University, Said Trump Administration’s Anti-Medicaid Ideology “Is Clouding Their Response To A Crisis.” “’Medicaid could be the nation’s biggest public health responder, but it’s such an object of ire in this administration,’ said Sara Rosenbaum, a Medicaid expert at George Washington University. ‘Their ideology is clouding their response to a crisis.’” [Los Angeles Times, 3/13/20]

Joan Alker, Executive Director Of The Center For Children And Families At Georgetown University, Said That “Work Requirements And Premiums Are Precisely The Kinds Of Policies That Are Dangerous Now.” “‘Work requirements and premiums are precisely the kinds of policies that are dangerous now and divert energy for state government staff, who are under enormous stress,’ said Joan Alker, executive director of the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University. ‘They need to focus on facilitating as many people’s access to care as they can.'” [Modern Healthcare, 3/18/20]

Gregg Bloche, M.D., J.D., Professor Of Law At Georgetown University, Argued Medicaid Expansion Should Be Part Of The Coronavirus Response. “Nationwide Medicaid expansion should be part of our emergency response to coronavirus. Texas, Florida, and 12 other states are putting lives at risk across America by refusing to extend Medicaid coverage to millions who are poor and uninsured. This ensures that many Americans who become infected will go undiagnosed and untreated: people for whom going to the doctor portends financial calamity tend not to do so before their health circumstances become dire.” [The Hill, 3/9/20]

Why Medicaid Is So Important

Medicaid’s Funding Can Increase In Response To A Public Health Emergency Like Coronavirus. “Medicaid fills an essential role as a safety-net insurer because of its special flexible design made possible by its open-ended federal funding base. This sets it apart from all other sources of health insurance and allows the program to fund major, unexpected health care costs other insurance plans are structured to avoid.” [Commonwealth Fund, 3/9/20] 

Unlike Private Insurance, Medicaid Allows Eligible People To Enroll Whenever They Need Health Care. “Unlike traditional insurance, which depends on specific enrollment periods to avoid adverse selection, people can enroll in Medicaid whenever health care is needed. In addition, Medicaid provides for offsite enrollment at hospitals and clinics, and temporary eligibility (also known as presumptive eligibility) can be granted.” [Commonwealth Fund, 3/9/20] 

Medicaid Can Provide Retroactive Coverage. “Eligibility can begin three months prior to the date of application, which means that providers will not be penalized financially for furnishing emergency care to Medicaid-eligible patients who have not yet enrolled.” [Commonwealth Fund, 3/9/20] 

Medicaid’s Flexibility Gives States The Opportunity To Cover More Services When Necessary. “State Medicaid programs can rapidly scale up benefits and adjust normal cost-sharing rules when conditions demand it. This flexibility allows programs to quickly add coverage for new vaccines or begin paying for treatment in nontraditional settings, such as the temporary emergency housing that Washington State is now pursuing for coronavirus patients.” [Commonwealth Fund, 3/9/20] 

Why Medicaid Expansion Is So Important

More than three million workers have already lost their jobs during the pandemic, so it is especially important for low-income adults to have a place to turn for coverage in this public health emergency. 

Medicaid Expansion Covers More Than 17 Million. Thanks to the ACA, states can get additional federal money to expand Medicaid to vulnerable populations. More than 17 million Americans now have coverage through Medicaid expansion. 

Expansion Provides Key Support For Rural Hospitals. The ACA led to a $12 billion reduction in uncompensated care costs. Between 2013 and 2015, hospitals’ uncompensated care costs decreased by $12 billion, or roughly 30 percent. As hospitals prepare for an influx in patients, it is critical that they are paid for the treatment they provide.

• Rural Areas Are Vulnerable To Coronavirus Outbreak, Especially In States That Have Not Expanded Medicaid. “‘Vulnerable’ states, where more than 40% of rural hospitals risk closure, include Florida, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Alongside Texas, none expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which would have insured more low-income people. Rural hospitals in non-Medicaid expansion states are treating more people who have no insurance. Therefore, they are providing more care for which they aren’t reimbursed.” [Stateline, 3/17/20]

Washington, DC — According to reporting from Politico, the Trump administration has refused to reopen the federal ACA marketplace to allow the uninsured to purchase health insurance during the global pandemic, despite calls from health insurers and lawmakers to do so to slow the spread of the virus and save American lives. Numerous states are leading the way by opening their state-run marketplaces in response to the growing threat of the coronavirus. In response to the Trump administration’s shameful decision that puts lives at risk, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement: 

“President Trump is putting American lives at risk by hurting the uninsured at a time when people need health care the most. President Trump’s all-out assault on health care does not only extend to the 20 million Americans he’s trying to rip health care away from with his disastrous lawsuit, but he’s also making it more burdensome for the recently unemployed to enroll through the federal marketplace and barring others from purchasing insurance from the marketplace entirely. This president’s dizzying lack of leadership or regard for the wellbeing of Americans during a time of crisis is shameful, but unsurprising from a president who’s tried to sabotage Americans’ health care since his first day in office and whose lack of concern or preparedness has allowed the virus to spread.”

Leaders and Experts Demand President Trump Take Action and Highlight His Refusal to Implement the DPA Which Has Crippled Hospitals and Local Governments’ Coronavirus Response Efforts and Put American Lives At Risk

Call Audio Available Here

Washington, DC — Today, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), SEIU President Mary Kay Henry and Protect Our Care, along with national security expert Katrina Mulligan and a health worker, held a press call to demand President Trump act decisively to get our health care system the equipment it needs to save lives, and highlighted the need to federalize the manufacturing and distribution of the medical supply chain and fully implement the Defense Production Act. 

Last night, President Trump doubled down on his refusal to help get governors and hospitals the ventilators they need. By failing to exercise his authority under the Defense Production Act to accelerate the manufacture and delivery of ventilators and other medical supplies as the country grapples with nationwide shortages, he’s putting the lives of patients and medical professionals at risk. President Trump’s failure to act swiftly or listen to national security experts who warned him about how to prepare for this crisis has cost American’s their lives, and his administration admitted they could have taken action to implement the DPA weeks ago when the current dire situation of mass shortages of medical equipment could have been avoided. 

“Right now, our states and our hospitals are having to bid against each other and chase down leads and pull political strings in order to get equipment,” said Senator Chris Murphy. “The private market is breaking down right now and the president needs to start acting like a president. Tweeting and complaining doesn’t help anybody. We are seeing the consequences of not having enough equipment as the virus continues to spread. What is happening in my home state of Connecticut today is that fewer people will get tested and so fewer people will know that they are positive. They will continue to interact with others in their community and the virus will spread. We can’t beat this virus unless we get serious about fixing the supply chain.” 

“The federal government is responsible for driving a national, coordinated response so that healthcare workers have protective equipment and paid sick leave so our country is prepared to meet the surge of coronavirus cases ahead. This hasn’t happened. Instead, we have a chaotic response from the Trump administration that is immoral and outrageous and is endangering the lives of healthcare heroes on the front lines, their families and communities,” said Mary Kay Henry, President, Service Employees International Union (SEIU). “Through our union, we will continue to fight until every healthcare worker has the equipment and training he or she needs to safely combat the coronavirus, to share resources and equipment with fellow healthcare workers on the frontlines, and to stand with patients and communities and hold the Trump administration accountable for gambling with our lives.”

“It’s really scary to be on the frontlines of fighting COVID-19 and not be protected,” said Bri Bernini, an Emergency Department Tech from Minnesota. “This is a war we are fighting. We should have everything we need to fight it and win. If healthcare workers like me don’t have the equipment we need, we are all going to get sick and we won’t be able to care for patients.”

“President Trump’s lack of preparedness for this crisis continues to put lives at risk,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Hospitals, medical professionals and patients are in desperate need of lifesaving equipment like masks and ventilators but President Trump refuses to use his power to help them. As Trump continues to spread misinformation and out-right lies about his administration’s efforts, his failure to take action becomes even more apparent as more Americans get sick and governors and medical professionals’ calls for much needed equipment continue to go unanswered.”

“President Trump’s refusal to invoke the Defense Production Act is one of the reasons he’s directly responsible for the health and economic crisis that is spiraling out of control,” said Coronavirus War Room Director Zac Petkanas. “Instead of listening to the experts, Trump spent months downplaying the severity of the crisis and making false statements that confused the public when he could have been preparing for it. The longer we deprive medical professionals of ventilators and the protective gear they need, the more we put their health and safety, and the health and safety of millions of Americans, at imminent risk.”

“American health care workers are on the front lines. If you think about this like a war, they are the ones out there taking personal risk and we aren’t giving them the equipment and protection they need,” said Katrina Mulligan, a National Security Expert and Managing Director at CAP Action. “When we didn’t have enough MRAPs for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan we surged that equipment to them. We need to do the same thing today. The demand is global, and we need American companies to prioritize selling their goods to American health workers rather than filling orders for foreign countries or selling to the highest bidder.”

BACKGROUND: 

More Than 100 National Security Professionals: “If The Ultimate Objective Is To Save American Lives, There Is No Alternative To Utilizing The Dpa Immediately And To The Fullest Extent.” “The DPA was written into law for a reason, and the equipment and supply shortages we face are just the sort of supply chain shortfalls the law was designed to address. Congress must ensure the full potential of the DPA is being leveraged in the midst of this crisis, and we applaud legislative efforts that require the administration to actually use the tools at its disposal in a serious way. President Trump has said he would utilize the DPA in a ‘worst-case scenario.’ But the scenario we face today is already well beyond any reasonable standard for utilizing the Act. All the President will accomplish with additional delay is to place us farther down that ‘worst-case’ trajectory. If the ultimate objective is to save American lives, there is no alternative to utilizing the DPA immediately and to the fullest extent.” [Open Letter, National Security Professionals, 3/25/20]

Trump Did NOT Do Enough To Get Life Saving Equipment To Hospital and Medical Professionals 

Fact #1: The Trump administration has acknowledged since late February that it could have invoked the Defense Production Act to accelerate the production of medical supplies like masks and ventilators.

• “Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar told lawmakers this week that the United States needs a stockpile of about 300 million N95 face masks – respiratory protective devices – for medical workers to combat the spread of the virus. The United States currently has only a fraction of that number available for immediate use, Azar testified. During an interagency call on Wednesday, officials from HHS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) discussed the possibility of invoking the Defense Production Act for the manufacture of “personal protective equipment” that can be worn to prevent infection, according to a DHS official. Such equipment can include masks, gloves and body suits.” [Reuters, 2/27/20]

Fact #2: Donald Trump waited until doctors already faced life-threatening shortages of medical supplies to even consider using the Defense Production Act.

• “Last Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA). That provision requires private companies to prioritize any federal government orders for products — including masks, respirators, and other critical items needed to fight coronavirus — over other orders. But as of Monday — five days later — even top Trump administration officials admit the government has yet to make a single order. Health care workers across the country are desperate for masks, gowns, respirators, and other basic supplies they need to treat patients with Covid-19 and to keep themselves protected from the coronavirus. They’re pleading for him to use the DPA.” [Vox, 3/23/20]
• “‘It’s like going to war with a butter knife.’ That’s the description one physician in New York City offered for how he and his colleagues are trying to suppress the coronavirus, even as they deal with dwindling stocks of health-care supplies and personal protective equipment. ‘This is a disaster. [Our health-care workers] are risking their lives,’ the physician told me. ‘We need to advocate for our frontline workers.’” [The Atlantic, 3/20/20]

Fact #3: Donald Trump falsely claimed that governors were supposed to be independently ordering medical supplies without the federal government’s coordination, leaving states to compete with each other for necessary supplies.

• Asked about his rationale for not invoking the Defense Production Act, Trump said: “First of all, governors are supposed to be doing a lot of this work, and they are doing a lot of this work. The federal government is not supposed to be out there buying vast amounts of items and then shipping. You know, we’re not a shipping clerk. The governors are supposed to be — as with testing, the governors are supposed — are supposed to be doing it.” [Press Conference, Washington, DC, 3/19/20]
• “‘It’s a wild, wild West out there, and indeed [we’re] overpaying for PPE because of that competition,’ Pritzker said on CNN’s ‘State of the Union,’ in reference to the personal protection equipment needed for healthcare workers to treat COVID-19 patients. Pritzker said Illinois received a fraction of the hospital supplies it requested from the federal government, forcing him to compete on the open market with governors in other states impacted by the virus, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), as those supplies become depleted. Pritzker said instead of a competition, this “should have been a coordinated effort by the federal government,” adding that President Trump has to push for the manufacturing of necessary equipment.” [The Hill, 3/22/20]