“Stunning Escalation”: One Year Ago, Washington Republicans Moved to Overturn Entire Health Care Law that Protects Coverage for People with Pre-Existing Conditions

Today marks one year since the Trump administration asked the courts to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act — including its protections for people with pre-existing conditions — in a “stunning escalation” of Washington Republicans’ years-long crusade to increase costs and rip away health care from millions of Americans. 

Now, as President Trump has doubled down in just the past week on his desire to “terminate” the law and Republicans push forward with their lawsuit that will now be heard by the Supreme Court, the fate of health care coverage for the 20 million Americans who were uninsured before the ACA and the 54 million Americans with a pre-existing condition hangs in the balance just as our nation faces its worst public health crisis in decades.

“Washington Republicans are using every tool at their disposal to tear down the health care law that protects people with pre-existing conditions, and this lawsuit would have disastrous consequences for our health care system at a time when we can least afford it,” said DSCC spokesperson Helen Kalla. “Republican senators’ uncompromising focus on gutting the health care law is why voters don’t trust them to handle the issue most important to them and their families, and why they’ll hold them accountable in November.”

If Republicans’ dangerous lawsuit is successful, the results “would be cataclysmic”:

• 54 million Americans with a pre-existing condition would lose coverage protections.

• 13 million Americans who gained coverage under the ACA’s Medicaid expansion would be kicked off Medicaid.

• 2.3 million young adults under age 26 who are covered by their parents’ insurance would lose coverage.

• 10.6 million Americans who gained coverage through state-based exchanges would be kicked off their private insurance.

• Costs of prescription drugs would skyrocket without the ACA’s provision to allow the FDA to approve more affordable generic medications for conditions like cancer and arthritis.

• Health insurers would no longer be required to cover preventative care or essential health benefits like cancer screenings, immunizations, and mental health care.

• Health insurers would once again be allowed to discriminate against women and refuse to cover maternity care.

• The CDC’s Prevention and Public Health fund, which fights infectious diseases and other public health threats, would disappear.

Meanwhile, every single Republican senator refuses to oppose the GOP lawsuit to overturn the entire health care law. Here’s what Republican incumbents have said:

• Senator McSally (AZ): “That’s their decision” and “it’s not my role” to oppose the lawsuit.

• Senator Gardner (CO) initially dodged before endorsing the GOP’s argument that the health care law is unconstitutional.

• Senator Perdue (GA) said all along that he “of course” wanted the lawsuit to succeed.

• Senator Ernst (IA): “Um, I am not going to make a determination on that, I am not an attorney.”

• Senator Collins (ME) helped pass the reckless tax giveaway that laid the foundation for her party’s dangerous lawsuit and when asked about her vote, Collins said, “Let me be clear I… would support it again today.” Collins also cast the deciding vote last year in a key Senate committee to block a study on the impact of the GOP’s lawsuit.

• Senator Tillis (NC) embraced the lawsuit and explained: “I support anything that ultimately takes [the ACA] off the table.”

• Senator Cornyn (TX): “I support having the courts make the decision.”

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