January 02, 2020
LAWT News Service
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) released a statement today in response to the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in the case of Texas v. U.S. that the requirement of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) that Americans carry health insurance is unconstitutional. The case was brought before the court by Republicans, and the court sent the case back to a lower court to determine whether the rest of the law is also unconstitutional. The Congresswoman’s statement follows:
“I am deeply disappointed by the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to support the Republicans in their relentless campaign to repeal Obamacare and strip away its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. This case is further evidence that Republicans will stop at nothing to strike down Obamacare and take away health coverage from millions of Americans.
“This case provides yet another example of Donald Trump’s hypocrisy on healthcare. During the 2018 midterm elections, Trump promised the American people, ‘We will always protect Americans with preexisting conditions….That’s a major part of what I’m all about.’ During a separate campaign rally the same week, he stated, ‘I want to take care of people with pre-existing conditions.’
During his 2019 State of the Union address, he alleged that one of his priorities was ‘to protect patients with preexisting conditions.’ Trump broke his promise earlier this year when his administration argued in a filing with the Court of Appeals that Obamacare should be invalidated completely – including its critical protections for Americans with preexisting conditions.
“While Obamacare is not perfect, it remains the law of the land, and it continues to ensure that all Americans – including working families, children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities – have access to quality and affordable health care. If this landmark law is invalidated, 21 million people could lose their health insurance, 12 million adults could lose Medicaid coverage, and 133 million Americans with pre-existing conditions – which include Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer, asthma, heart disease, and even pregnancy – could be charged significantly higher premiums or lose their health coverage completely.
“My Democratic colleagues and I will continue to fight to strengthen this landmark law and protect health coverage for working families, children, seniors, veterans, disabled Americans, and Americans with pre-existing conditions. Obamacare has already survived several court challenges initiated by heartless Republicans, and I have no doubt it will survive this one.”