Davids Slams Trump Administration’s Brief Asking Supreme Court to Strike Down Affordable Care Act During Pandemic

As the Trump Administration filed its brief with the Supreme Court to strike down the entirety of the Affordable Care Act, Representative Sharice Davids released a new report finding that the number of Americans who would lose health coverage if the lawsuit succeeds has grown to more than 23 million amid the historic health and economic emergency of the coronavirus. The report finds that 94,000 Kansans would lose their health insurance.

"To effectively fight the coronavirus crisis, we have to make sure that every person has access to quality, affordable health coverage. But even during a global pandemic, the Trump administration is determined to eliminate every last protection and benefit provided by the Affordable Care Act," said Davids.

If the Trump Administration succeeds in striking down the Affordable Care Act:

• GONE: Protections for 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions.
• GONE: Medicaid expansion, which covers 17 million people.
• GONE: Nearly 12 million seniors will have to pay more for prescription drugs because the Medicare ‘donut hole' will be reopened.
• GONE: 2.3 million adult children will no longer be able to stay on their parents' insurance.
• GONE: Insurance companies will be able to charge women 50 percent more than men.
• GONE: Financial assistance that helps 9 million people purchase health care in the marketplace.
• GONE: Key support for rural hospitals. As Americans lose coverage, already struggling hospitals will be hit even harder as their costs increase.
• GONE: Ban on insurance companies having lifetime caps on coverage.
• GONE: Requirements that insurance companies cover prescription drugs and maternity care.

Meanwhile, Davids is working to expand access to health care and lower costs. She secured key provisions in the recently introduced Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act to give Kansas more urgently needed money to expand Medicaid. The bill renews the ACA's original expanded federal match, which both incentivizes states like Kansas to expand their Medicaid programs and ensures a smooth transition for those that do so.

"During this time of uncertainty, no Kansan should have to worry about whether they will receive the care that they and their families need to stay healthy. I've long been pushing for Kansas to join the 36 states that have already expanded Medicaid so we can lower health care costs and increase access to coverage, meaning more people are protected during emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic," said Davids.