Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, said he thinks there are “too many participants in the ACA,” and that “it’s too high of a number.” Instead of acknowledging that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a lifeline for families across the country, Dr. Oz and Republicans are now questioning why Americans continue to enroll, ignoring the simple reality that people need affordable health care. This comes after Republicans ripped away the health care tax credits and hiked costs for over 22 million Americans.
In response, Protect Our Care President Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“Dr. Oz just said the quiet part out loud, admitting Republicans don’t want Americans to have the health care they need. This has been their playbook for more than a decade, trying to sabotage and repeal the ACA, filing lawsuits to tear it down, ending the tax credits that helped families afford coverage, ripping away coverage, and doing everything they can to make health care more expensive while showering billionaires with tax breaks. Meanwhile, they try to justify their war on health care by spouting off nonsense.
“The truth is simple: people enroll in the ACA because they need affordable, reliable coverage. Suggesting there’s something wrong with Americans simply trying to afford health care is insulting and exposes Republicans’ true agenda.”
Background
The GOP’s Premium Hikes:
- Doubled and tripled premiums for over 22 million hardworking Americans, including small business owners, farmers, and older adults.
- Put health care out of reach for over one million Americans who can no longer afford to see a doctor and will face massive debt if they have a heart attack or accident.
- Will lead to an estimated 5 million Americans losing their health care after they are unable to pay their premiums and are kicked off their coverage.
- Forced middle-class families to pay $20 billion in higher health care costs in 2026, while CEOs and yacht owners pocket $120 billion in tax breaks from the GOP tax scam.
- Forced an estimated one in three Americans who buy health care on their own to reduce their coverage and pay thousands more each year in health care costs.
- Pressured countless families to cut back on food, clothing, and other basics to afford health insurance and greater out-of-pocket costs. Polling shows that when confronted with a hike of that size:
- 31 percent of people buying insurance through the ACA are likely to cut back on basic necessities.
- 22 percent are likely to try to find an extra job or work more hours.
- 15 percent are likely to skip or delay paying other bills.