Ohio Democratic Party: Three Years After Trumpcare Died, Donald Trump Is Still Attacking Affordable Care Act

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 29 -- The Ohio Democratic Party issued the following statement by Chairman David Pepper on the 3rd anniversary of the defeat of President Trump's attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act:

"Three years after Donald Trump's legislative attempt at taking health care away from millions of Americans was defeated on the Senate floor, Trump has refused to relent in his attacks on the Affordable Care Act.

"Donald Trump's toxic health care agenda is a far cry from what he promised on the campaign trail. He promised 'insurance for everybody.' Instead, we've seen the uninsured rate go up. Trump said he would support letting Medicare negotiate drug prices to bring down costs. Instead, he opposed a Democratic bill to do just that.

"He's even tried to claim -- falsely -- that he 'was the person who saved Pre-Existing Conditions in your healthcare.' Meanwhile, his administration is in court trying to gut President Barack Obama's health care law and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. After nearly four years in office, there is no Trump plan on health care -- his lawsuit to repeal the Affordable Care Act is his plan.

"It's been one broken promise after another from Donald Trump, and Ohioans are paying the price."

Here are the facts about Trump's record on health care:

* Donald Trump is lying when he says he wants to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions. The truth is this: he is backing a lawsuit that jeopardizes health care for 4.8 million Ohioans with pre-existing conditions.

* Trump's constant attacks on the Affordable Care Act are already taking a toll on the Buckeye State, as Ohio was one of eight states that saw its uninsured rate jump in 2018.

* One group that has been particularly hard hit is Ohio kids -- the number of uninsured kids increased by 28 percent from 2016 to 2018. That's nearly 30,000 more uninsured children.

* Trump's agenda doesn't just endanger health care -- it also puts Ohio jobs at risk. The Ohio Hospital Association said that "fully 25 percent of our hospitals in Ohio would be at risk of closure" if Trump succeeds in repealing the Affordable Care Act and ending the Medicaid expansion.