Durbin Statement On Trump Administration Lawsuit Against The Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, July 9 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following news release:

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on the first day of oral arguments in Texas v. United States--a lawsuit brought by 18 Republican state attorney generals, and endorsed by President Trump's Administration, that seeks to eliminate the entire Affordable Care Act, including important protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 20 million Americans gained health insurance - including more than one million in Illinois. If the law were eliminated, more than 600,000 Illinoisans would lose their health coverage and insurers would once again be able to deny care, or charge higher premiums, to people with pre-existing conditions.

"If President Trump and Republicans have their way in court, insurers will once again be able to discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions and impose arbitrary caps on benefits, millions will be thrown off health insurance, and families nationwide will pay more for their health care. The President of the United States should be spending his days trying to find ways to improve health care for American families, not new ways to take away their health insurance protection."