Senator Murray Slams Trump Administration For Unwavering Commitment to Striking Down Health Care and Pre-Existing Condition Protections For Millions Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Despite Dire Consequences
Senator Murray slammed the Trump Administration for pressing ahead with its effort to strike down health care for tens of millions of people during a pandemic
A Republican victory in court would strip health care from tens of millions of people, end protections for pre-existing conditions, increase heath care costs, and more
The harmful impacts of a Republican victory would have a disproportionate impact on communities of color already facing health disparities that are being exacerbated by COVID-19, could double Black uninsured rate
New analysis shows the number of people who could lose health care due to Republicans’ lawsuit has increased by over 3 million due to COVID-19
Senator Murray: “A lot has changed in our country over the past few months—yet even amid a public health crisis, President Trump’s dangerous commitment to attacking families’ health care hasn’t wavered.”
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after the Trump Administration filed a brief in the case Texas v. U.S. (previously Texas v. Azar) yesterday urging the Supreme Court to strike down the Affordable Care Act and jeopardize health care and protections for hundreds of millions of people across the country in the middle of a global pandemic.
“A lot has changed in our country over the past few months—yet even amid a public health crisis, President Trump’s dangerous commitment to attacking families’ health care hasn’t wavered. Make no mistake: a Republican victory in this lawsuit would be an American catastrophe. If President Trump gets his way, tens of millions of people will lose their health care in the middle of a global pandemic, families’ health care costs will skyrocket just as unemployment is doing the same, and communities of color will suffer even more as the health disparities already exacerbated by COVID-19 become even worse.
“As President Trump continues putting politics over patients, I am going to continue fighting back and holding him accountable at every turn. Families haven’t forgotten that their health care is under attack, and Democrats are going to make sure they don’t forget exactly who is responsible for that.”
The latest filing from the Trump Administration comes on the heels of a new analysis from the Center for American Progress which revealed that as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, an additional 3 million people are likely to lose coverage should Republicans get their way in court—for a total of over 23 million people at risk of losing their health care. Previous analyses from the Urban Institute have also shown a Republican victory would disproportionately impact communities of color who face greater disparities when it comes to accessing health care—including a report which found the uninsured rate among the Black population would nearly double.
Among other ramifications, a Republican victory in the lawsuit would:
- Strip health care away from tens of millions of people who got coverage through Medicaid expansion and the exchanges.
- End protections for pre-existing conditions that 135 million patients rely on;
- Kick young adults off their parents’ insurance;
- Remove protections against exorbitant health care costs like limits on patients’ out-of-pocket costs, or the prohibition against companies placing annual and lifetime caps on benefits, even for people who get coverage through their jobs;
- Take away essential health benefits that require insurance to cover emergency care, hospitalization, prescription drugs, preventive care, maternity care, and more.
In March, Senator Murray joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus to submit an amicus brief to the Supreme Court arguing on behalf of patients across the country against Republicans’ attempt to strike down the Affordable Care Act.
“To dismantle the Nation’s health care system at any time would be perilous. To do so during a global pandemic, when millions have lost work and the ACA provides an alternative to employer-based health insurance, would trigger even greater chaos,” Democrats wrote. “Invalidating the ACA would profoundly harm those who already face barriers to care, including older Americans, those facing economic hardship, women, and individuals with pre-existing conditions. Such a result would be particularly devastating amidst a health crisis whose most deadly effects have been concentrated among many of these groups.”
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