Arizona Democratic Party: McSally Signals Support for Lawsuit to End Coverage Protections

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 30 -- The Arizona Democratic Party issued the following news release:

Just in time for Mike Pence's Arizona visit tomorrow, U.S. Sen. Martha McSally is signaling support for the Trump administration and national Republicans' lawsuit to eliminate pre-existing condition coverage protections, according to reporting from PolitiFact.

McSally has "consistently declined to comment on the lawsuit," saying it wasn't her "role" to oppose the effort. Asked again last week by PolitiFact, McSally's "campaign didn't specifically answer, but pointed to her general disapproval of the ACA" -- the clearest signal yet that McSally is behind the lawsuit, even though 2.8 million Arizonans have a pre-existing condition.

Last Thursday, the Trump administration and Republican attorneys general -- including Arizona's Mark Brnovich -- submitted legal briefs to the Supreme Court reaffirming their position that the entire Affordable Care Act, including coverage protections for older Americans, women, and people with pre-existing conditions, should be struck down as unconstitutional.

In addition to letting insurance companies charge higher rates to people with pre-existing conditions, including people who recover from COVID-19, Republicans' desired outcome would also jeopardize Arizona's expansion of Medicaid, known as AHCCCS, and reopen the Medicare doughnut hole, causing seniors to pay more out of pocket for prescription drugs.