Murray Slams Republicans for Bringing Partisan Lawsuit to Strip Families of Health Care, Scrap Patient Protections, and Drive Up Costs for Millions

Today, Republicans are arguing in court to strip away health care families gained through the exchanges and Medicaid expansion, scrap protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and more

Speaking on the Senate floor, Murray shared stories from Washington state showing what a Republican victory would mean for families across the country

Murray: “For these families, and so many other patients living with a pre-existing condition, the lawsuit Republicans are bringing today is a matter of life and death.”

Murray: “[Families] aren’t going to forget who kept their word to fight for their health care… and who blatantly broke that promise by championing a partisan lawsuit that would throw the health care of millions of people out the window.”

***Watch Senator Murray’s speech HERE***

Washington, D.C. – Today, in a speech from the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, denounced Republicans for bringing a partisan lawsuit—Texas v. United States—which threatens to strike down health care and protections for millions of families across the country. Senator Murray warned that the case could strike down protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, strip coverage from people who have health insurance through the exchanges and Medicaid expansion, end requirements for insurance companies to cover essential health benefits, jack up patients’ out-of-pocket costs for life-saving treatment, and more.

“Republicans are once again fighting to take us back to the bad old days, to give big insurance companies all the power, to leave millions of people without any hope of getting the quality, affordable care they need, and to leave patients and families with fewer protections and higher bills,” said Senator Murray.

She also shared stories from her constituents in Washington state who could be affected by the outcome of the court case, including Lily from Gig Harbor—a rising high school soccer star living with cystic fibrosis. Concluding her remarks, Senator Murray called on Republicans to stop their relentless attacks on families’ quality, affordable health care and to take common sense steps to protect the health of everyone living in the United States.

Key Excerpts:

“President Trump and Republican Attorneys General are explaining in court why they think people who got their health care through the exchanges or Medicaid expansion should have it ripped away, why limits on patients’ out-of-pocket costs should go away while limits on their annual and lifetime benefits should come back, and why protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be struck down.”

“If Republicans win their blatantly partisan lawsuit, insurance companies could kick patients like Lily off their parents’ insurance before they turn 26, meaning instead of worrying whether Lily will continue her soccer career at Gonzaga, U-W, or somewhere else, her family could spend her senior year worrying how to make sure she can get the health care she needs.”

“If Republicans win, insurance companies could also avoid covering essential health benefits patients need like prescription drugs and emergency care, remove limits on how much patients have to pay out of pocket, and put limits on patients’ annual and lifetime benefits—which is particularly challenging for patients like Lily who need expensive drugs to treat chronic, pre-existing conditions.”

“And, if Republicans win, insurance companies could discriminate against patients who have pre-existing conditions like cystic fibrosis, by charging them more, excluding benefits, or even denying them coverage completely. And let’s be clear, Lily is just one of 30,000 patients in our country with cystic fibrosis, and one of over a hundred million patients in our country living with a pre-existing condition.”

“For these families, and so many other patients living with a pre-existing condition, the lawsuit Republicans are bringing today is a matter of life and death. They are watching closely, and they aren’t going to forget who kept their word to fight for their health care, and protections for people with pre-existing conditions—and who blatantly broke that promise by championing a partisan lawsuit that would throw the health care of millions of people out the window.”

Watch Senator Murray’s speech HERE:

Read the full text of Senator Murray’s address:

“Thank you M. President.

“Today, President Trump and Republican Attorneys General are explaining in court why they think people who got their health care through the exchanges or Medicaid expansion should have it ripped away, why limits on patients’ out-of-pocket costs should go away while limits on their annual and lifetime benefits should come back, and why protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be struck down.

“In other words, Republicans are once again fighting to take us back to the bad old days, to give big insurance companies all the power, to leave millions of people without any hope of getting the quality, affordable care they need, and to leave patients and families with fewer protections and higher bills—patients like Lily from Gig Harbor, Washington.

“Lily is a rising high school sophomore, a rising soccer star, and a patient living with cystic fibrosis.

“To stay healthy, and stay on the field, Lily needs to take several prescriptions a day, keep expensive medical devices on hand, and visit specialists every other month—not to mention the hospital a couple times a year.

“Even on a good month, her health care can cost thousands of dollars.

“For families like hers, the stakes today could not be higher.

“If Republicans win their blatantly partisan lawsuit, insurance companies could kick patients like Lily off their parents’ insurance before they turn 26, meaning instead of worrying whether Lily will continue her soccer career at Gonzaga, U-W, or somewhere else, her family could spend her senior year worrying how to make sure she can get the health care she needs.

“Because if Republicans win, insurance companies could also avoid covering essential health benefits patients need like prescription drugs and emergency care, remove limits on how much patients have to pay out of pocket, and put limits on patients’ annual and lifetime benefits—which is particularly challenging for patients like Lily who need expensive drugs to treat chronic, pre-existing conditions.

“And, if Republicans win, insurance companies could discriminate against patients who have pre-existing conditions like cystic fibrosis, by charging them more, excluding benefits, or even denying them coverage completely.

“And let’s be clear, Lily is just one of 30,000 patients in our country with cystic fibrosis, and one of over a hundred million patients in our country living with a pre-existing condition.

“Like the woman who wrote to me about her severe arthritis which could be debilitating without treatment.

“Or her husband, whose high blood pressure could be deadly without medication.

“Or the mother who wrote to me about her son’s rare form of epilepsy and how without insurance the medical costs would crush her family.

“For these families, and so many other patients living with a pre-existing condition, the lawsuit Republicans are bringing today is a matter of life and death.

“They are watching closely, and they aren’t going to forget who kept their word to fight for their health care, and protections for people with pre-existing conditions—and who blatantly broke that promise by championing a partisan lawsuit that would throw the health care of millions of people out the window.

“Democrats aren’t going to stop fighting for families like Lily’s.

“We aren’t going to stop holding President Trump accountable for his ongoing health care sabotage.

“And we aren’t going to stop pushing for common sense steps that help women and families get quality, affordable health care, or pushing Republicans to work with us to get the train back on track and stop pulling up the rails.

“Thank you.”

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