As oral arguments to defend or dismantle the Affordable Care Act started in Texas today, Michigan Attorney Dana Nessel reminded Michigan residents of the risk if Trump’s lawsuit to repeal the ACA succeeds.
“If Donald Trump gets his way, 720,000 Michiganders could lose their coverage – leading to a 115-percent increase in our uninsured rate,” said Nessel. “In addition, 73,000 young Michigan adults who are covered by their parents’ insurance could lose that coverage.
“Finally,” said Nessel, “Michigan could lose important federal health care funding – estimated to be $5.2 billion in the first year if the ACA were to be repealed.”
Nessel also pointed out that more than 40 percent of Michigan residents – 4,110,300 – have a pre-existing condition that would no longer be covered as insurance companies step away from mandated coverage. Of those with pre-existing conditions, Nessel said 527,600 are children, 2,038,000 are women, and 1,024,000 are between the ages of 55 and 64.
“If you’re not enrolled in a major public program like Medicaid or Medicare, and you have a pre-existing condition like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, behavioral health disorders, osteoarthritis or something else, you are at the mercy of the insurance companies and can expect higher premiums, higher co-pays, and significant out-of-pocket expenses,” said Nessel.
The Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, requires health plans to cover preventive services like flu shots, cancer screenings, contraception and mammograms –at no cost to consumers.
Nessel joined Protect Our Care, a coalition of health care advocates, in raising concerns about the Trump Administration’s efforts to take away people’s health care by overturning the Affordable Care Act.
“Trump’s Texas lawsuit is the clearest indication of his intention to strip coverage from millions of Americans and decimate protections for pre-existing conditions,” said Protect Our Care executive director Brad Woodhouse.
“I refuse to let anyone take away the health care rights of our residents,” declared Nessel. “We will fight this effort at every turn.”
Oral arguments in Texas v US are scheduled to be heard today in the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Today Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement after the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals began hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
In January, after a federal judge in Texas declared the entirety of the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, Attorney General Dana Nessel, with the support of and in coordination with Governor Whitmer, filed a motion on behalf of the State of Michigan to intervene in the lawsuit.
“Every Michigander deserves access to quality, affordable health care,” said Governor Whitmer.“That’s why Attorney General Nessel and I have stepped up to protect hundreds of thousands of Michiganders from losing coverage. We’re committed to working every day to make sure Michigan families can get the care they need, and that starts by defending the Affordable Care Act and expanding coverage to people across the state.”
Michigan joined 16 other states and the District of Columbia in their opposition to the decision of the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas that held the ACA unconstitutional.
Protect Our Care Michigan joined House Democratic Leader Rep. Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills) and Reps. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) and Frank Liberati (D-Allen Park) to call attention to the potentially devastating implications for Michiganders’ health care if the lawsuit prevails.
The lawsuit was filed in 2018 by 20 Republican state officials, who argued that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional – including protections for pre-existing conditions. This past December, a conservative judge in Texas ruled in favor of the lawsuit and declared the entire ACA invalid. The suit is currently in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, where oral arguments began today, July 9 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The press call can be listened to here.
“Every single person deserves access to quality health care — that has been, and will continue to be, one of the most pressing issues facing everyday Michiganders,” said Greig. “No matter your age or your background or what your family looks like, whether or not you’re able to afford to seek treatment when you’re sick or pay for the prescriptions you need directly impacts every person in this state. Michigan’s working families simply can’t afford to lose the benefits the Affordable Care Act has provided them.”
“By putting the Affordable Care Act in the crosshairs, the Trump Administration is threatening the health and security of residents in my district and across the country,” said Hammoud. “If the president gets his way, and the Texas v. United States lawsuit is successful, more than 720,000 Michigan residents could have their health care taken away and completely lose coverage.”
“The fight to preserve the Affordable Care Act is a fight to save lives,” said Liberati. “The health care of millions of Michiganders is at stake in this lawsuit. Shining a spotlight on this case is critical to ensuring Michiganders understand the consequences of what happens to their health care if the Affordable Care Act is overturned.”
