Tonight, President Trump unveiled a series of executive orders in a failed effort to rewrite his disastrous record on protections for people with pre-existing conditions, when, in reality, he has eroded these protections throughout his presidency. In fact, President Trump is in court right now trying to take away the protections that people with pre-existing conditions rely on. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in California v. Texas, Trump’s lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, one week after the election. If successful, Trump’s lawsuit is poised to rip health care away from 23 million Americans, erase protections for pre-existing conditions for 135 million Americans and throw our entire health care system into chaos.
Reporters were quick to call out Trump’s fantastical lies about the new executive orders:
Daniel Dale (CNN): “Facts: – Obamacare created the protections for pre-existing conditions…Trump has backed GOP bills to weaken them…Trump admin has argued in court that the protections are unconstitutional…Admin is now trying to get Obamacare killed in court…An order can’t replace law.” [Daniel Dale Twitter, 9/24/20]
Paul McLeod (BuzzFeed News): “In a surreal call, the Trump White House just laid out a plan to decree “policy of the United States” that people with pre-existing conditions can get insurance…As best I can tell this has no legal meaning. The Trump admin is suing to repeal pre-existing condition protections.” [Paul McLeod Twitter, 9/24/20]
John Harwood (CNN): “in case anyone’s wondering, Trump’s “executive order” on pre-existing conditions a) means nothing b) does nothing.” [John Harwood Twitter, 9/24/20]
Sam Stein (The Daily Beast): “In other words, the big health care plan that Trump has been saying is two weeks away for several months now is a statement of poll tested priorities that either are current law that he’s trying to erase or toothless unless done through legislation.” [Sam Stein Twitter, 9/24/20]
Julie Rovner (Kaiser Health News): “The President’s coming EO on pre-existing conditions will simply state that it is the policy of the U.S. that people with pre-existing conditions will be protected, even if ACA is overturned. That’s NOT the way this works. This. Requires. Legislation.” [Julie Rovner Twitter, 9/24/20]
Jeffrey Young (HuffPost): “It will surprise no one that Trump is two minutes into this health care speech and roughly 95% of what he’s said is bullshit.” [Jeffrey Young Twitter, 9/24/20]
Binyamin Appelbaum (New York Times): “Issuing an executive order that says preexisting conditions are covered as a substitute for actually covering preexisting conditions is absolute peak Trump.” [Binyamin Appelbaum Twitter, 9/24/20]
Kyle Griffin (MSNBC): “Several tweets (1) misrepresent what Trump’s orders can do or (2) parrot Trump lies without fact-checking them. Trump’s executive order does not have the weight of law. Obamacare protects pre-existing conditions. Trump’s admin is in court fighting to repeal Obamacare. That’s it.” [Kyle Griffin Twitter, 9/24/20]
Andrew Solender (Forbes): “‘The new Democrat lie is that they would cover pre-existing conditions,’ Trump says, despite the fact that the current protections for pre-existing conditions were signed into law by a Democrat.” [Andrew Solender Twitter, 9/24/20]
Yamiche Alcindor (PBS): “Pres Trump: I am signing the first-ever executive order to affirm that it is the ‘official policy of the United States Government to protect patients with pre-existing conditions.’ Fact: The Affordable Care Act signed by Pres Obama made covering pre-existing conditions U.S. law.” [Yamiche Alcindor Twitter, 9/24/20]
Will Steakin (ABC News): “Trump makes dizzying claim that it’s a ‘new Democrats lie’ that ‘they will cover pre-existing conditions,’ despite pre-existing conditions being covered RIGHT NOW because of Obamacare.” [Will Steakin Twitter, 9/24/20]