JDRF Issues Statement Regarding 5th Circuit Court Decision on Affordable Care Act

NEW YORK, Dec. 20 -- JDRF, a charitable 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to funding type 1 diabetes research, issued the following statement by Chief Mission Officer Cynthia Rice regarding the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision on the Affordable Care Act:

"Protections for people with pre-existing conditions are critical for the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community, and are a top priority for JDRF. No insurance company should be able to deny someone health insurance, charge them more, or limit their coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

"Today's Fifth Circuit decision declared the Affordable Care Act (ACA)'s individual insurance mandate unconstitutional, but referred the issue of the constitutionality of the rest of the law back to the district court. That means that current law protections for pre-existing conditions remain in place, but under challenge.

"At JDRF, we will continue to use our collective voice to fight to preserve protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and fight for affordable and accessible health care. We are on the cusp of enormous opportunities that will improve the lives of people living with T1D and find cures for the disease, but without the protections in the ACA, many members of the T1D community will not be able to afford and benefit from these advances."

About JDRF

JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2.2 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter: @JDRF.