Washington, D.C. — Over the weekend, Donald Trump renewed calls to “terminate” the Affordable Care Act (ACA), calling his administration failure to repeal the ACA “a low point for the Republican party.” Repealing the ACA means ripping away protections for the over 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, hiking premium costs for millions of working families, and putting insurance companies back in charge, allowing them to deny basic care like hospital visits and prescription drugs. As a result, tens of millions would lose coverage.
At a time when more people are covered by the ACA than ever before, the consequences would be devastating, particularly for people of color, older adults, rural populations, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQI+ community. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“The Republicans’ war on health care is alive and well. Trump is vowing to repeal the ACA at the same time a record number are signing up and benefiting from lower costs thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress. Trump and MAGA Republicans will stop at nothing to raise health costs and eliminate critical protections. Republicans are not only working to repeal the ACA, but they want to slash Medicare and Medicaid, raise drug prices for seniors, and rip away all of the new benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act. If Republicans get their way, 135 million people with pre-existing conditions will lose protection and millions will lose coverage altogether. Some things never change: Republicans continue to put profits over the well-being of hardworking people across our country.”
Background
If the Affordable Care Act is repealed:
- GONE: Protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions, including 54 million people with a pre-existing condition that would make them completely uninsurable.
- GONE: Medicaid expansion, which covers more than 21 million people.
- GONE: 49 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 more than men.
- GONE: Premium tax credits that help 80 percent of people who purchase health care on the marketplace.
- GONE: Key support for rural hospitals.
- GONE: Ban on insurance companies having lifetime caps on coverage.
- GONE: Requirements that insurance companies cover prescription drugs and maternity care.
- GONE: 61.5 million Medicare beneficiaries will face higher costs and disruptions to their medical care.
Read more:
Report: The MAGA Republican War on American Health Care
Fact Sheet: The GOP’s Threat To The ACA Is As Real As Ever