Urge Congress to Defend Healthcare Access and Strengthen the Affordable Care Act - Needs Senate Vote
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UPDATE (06/07/19): The Trump administration is officially arguing in court that the ACA’s protections for people with preexisting conditions are unconstitutional and should be eliminated. It’s more important than ever for Congress to pass bills strengthening healthcare access for all US residents.
UPDATE (05/15/19): The House has passed HR 987 in a 234 - 183 vote. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) is now openly urging courts to declare the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional. The DOJ’s new position is a response to an ongoing lawsuit against the ACA by Republican state attorneys general. The DOJ’s extremist stance endangers healthcare access by threatening Medicaid expansion, protections for people with preexisting conditions, and other ACA provisions that have given millions of Americans access to health insurance. The ACA remains in place as court challenges continue. However, Congress must take steps to shore up the law wherever possible to defend health insurance access.
House Democrats have introduced a bill to further expand healthcare access while reversing the Trump administration’s attempts to weaken the ACA through regulatory changes. The bill’s key provisions include:
- Expansion of ACA tax credit availability for those purchasing plans on the exchanges
- Creation of a national reinsurance program to shield insurers from unexpectedly high medical costs, which in turn will keep premiums low
- Reversal of a Trump rule allowing the sale of subpar insurance plans that don’t cover ACA-mandated essential benefits
- Reinstatement of ACA enrollment outreach funding
While the bill does not go far enough to guarantee universal healthcare access for all Americans, it is nevertheless an important measure to strengthen the ACA against the Trump administration’s ongoing assault. Furthermore, Speaker Pelosi has made clear that this legislation does not preclude broader healthcare legislation down the line. Urge your representatives to support this important protective legislation.
