On Vote to Repudiate Trump’s Texas Lawsuit, All But Four Republicans Vote In Favor of Legal Action that Would Overturn the Entire Law
Washington, DC — House Republicans, who were run out of the majority in 2018 because of their efforts to repeal American health care, voted again yesterday in support of rolling back the entire law. All but four Republicans voted against an amendment yesterday offered by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) that repudiates the lawsuit supported by President Trump to “terminate” the health care law and which would deny funding to the Department of Justice to litigate on its behalf. The lawsuit Republicans voted in favor of yesterday goes further than any repeal bill they have brought to the floor since President Trump took office, invalidating the entire law, even provisions Republicans supposedly claim to support. In response, Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
“Republicans lost one election because of a repeal and sabotage agenda that was rejected by the American people and they seem hellbent on losing another one. More important than the politics is the devastation the Republican war on health care would have on the American people. If successful, this Republican lawsuit, which 98 percent of House Republicans voted to support yesterday, would rip coverage away from millions, throw kids off their parents policies, raise drug prices on seniors, repeal Medicaid expansion and end protections for pre-existing conditions – the health care issue that most contributed to Republicans losing their House majority in November. Americans have repeatedly rejected the GOP’s ongoing war on health care and the question is, will Republicans ever get the message? If yesterday’s vote is any indication, the answer seems to be a resounding ‘no.’”
Fact Sheet On Trump Lawsuit To Overturn ACA
President Trump is trying to rip apart our health care by going to court to eliminate the Affordable Care Act in its entirety. If the Trump lawsuit is successful, it will strip coverage from millions of Americans, raise premiums, end protections for people with pre-existing conditions, put insurance companies back in charge, and force seniors to pay more for prescription drugs. The result will be to — as the Trump Administration itself admitted in Court — unleash “chaos” in our entire health care system.
If the Affordable Care Act is struck down:
- GONE: Protections for 130 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.
- GONE: Ban on insurance companies having lifetime caps on coverage.
- GONE: Requirements that insurance companies cover prescription drugs and maternity care.
Thanks To The Republican Lawsuit, 17 Million People Could Lose Their Coverage
- According to the Urban Institute, 19.9 million people could lose coverage by repealing the Affordable Care Act, meaning the number of uninsured Americans would increase from 30.4 million to 50.3 million, representing a leading to a 65 percent increase in the uninsured rate. As the uninsured rate swells, so will the amount of uncompensated care, which Urban predicts will grow by at least 82 percent.
Republicans Want To Put Insurance Companies Back In Charge, Ending Protections For The 130 Million People With A Pre-Existing Condition
- According to a recent analysis by the Center for American Progress, roughly half of nonelderly Americans, or as many as 130 million people, have a pre-existing condition. This includes:
- 44 million people who have high blood pressure
- 45 million people who have behavioral health disorders
- 44 million people who have high cholesterol
- 34 million people who have asthma and chronic lung disease
- 34 million people who have osteoarthritis and other joint disorders
- 17 million children, 68 million women, and 30 million people aged 55-64 have a pre-existing condition.