Rep. TJ Cox Statement on Passage of Bill Condemning Trump's Attacks on the Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to repeal the full Affordable Care Act through the courts – throwing the healthcare for millions of people in the Central Valley into jeopardy. Rep. TJ Cox released the following statement:

“The Trump Administration’s decision to eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions threatens the healthcare of everyone with asthma, diabetes, and even pregnancy. And it threatens to throw millions of people enrolled in Medi-Cal off their healthcare.

“We need real healthcare reform that gives every single American affordable, quality coverage. Instead of working with Congress to pass meaningful healthcare reform that tackles rising costs and prescription drug prices, the Trump Administration is turning its back on those who need it most. This is unacceptable.”

BACKGROUND:

The resolution adopted today states that “the actions taken by the Trump Administration seeking the invalidation of the ACA’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and later the invalidation of the entire ACA, are an unacceptable assault on the health care of the American people,” and that the Justice Department should “cease any and all efforts to destroy Americans’ access to affordable health care; and reverse its position in Texas v. United States.”

On March 25, the Trump Administration expanded the scope of its attack on the health law, asking the court in Texas v. U.S. not only to strike down protections for people with pre-existing conditions, but to eliminate every provision of the ACA.  In January, House Democrats voted to authorize the counsel of the House of Representatives to throw its full legal weight against the suit.

Since its full implementation in 2014, the ACA has provided critical protections for the 130 million people in the U.S. with pre-existing conditions, including the 16,679,100 Californians with pre-existing conditions. If the courts agree with the Trump Administration’s position, the following provisions would be struck down:

• Protections for people with pre-existing conditions;
• The ban on lifetime and annual limits on health coverage;
• The Medicaid expansion covering 15 million Americans;
• Health insurance affordability tax credits assisting 9 million Americans;
• Bans on discriminatory insurance practices that force women to pay more for coverage;
• Young adults’ ability to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26, and more.