Rep. Cox on the 10th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Calls on Trump Administration to End ACA Lawsuit

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. TJ Cox, D-California, issued the following news release on March 23:

On the 10th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Rep. Cox called on the Trump Administration to end its Texas v. U.S. lawsuit, which would strike down the entirety of the ACA as well as pre-existing condition protections for 130 million Americans, including 6,093,000 Californians, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"As our nation faces this unprecedented pandemic, the effort to eliminate the lifesaving protections of the ACA poses a devastating threat to Central Valley Families and all Americans across the nation. At this time of uncertainty, every American in every community deserves to know that they will receive the critical medical care that they and their families need to stay healthy and safe," said Rep. Cox. "Now, during the coronavirus pandemic, my colleagues and I are fighting to safeguard and expand the ACA's vital protections to put families first. Today, and every day, I will uphold the belief that access to health care is right, not a privilege, for all Central Valley families."

Since becoming law in 2010, the ACA has become a pillar of health and economic stability for millions of Americans. It has protected including 6,093,000 Californians with pre-existing conditions, lowered drug costs for 23,401 Central Valley residents on Medicare and reduced the 21st District's uninsured population to 56,732. If the Trump Administration's lawsuit is successful in removing the ACA, Central Valley families would face staggering consequences:

Uninsured rate will increase: California residents will lose expanded health insurance coverage through the ACA, leading to 3.8 million more California residents becoming uninsured - a 110.7% increase in the state uninsured rate.

Federal health care funding will decrease: California will lose $22.4 billion in critical federal funding that pays for Marketplace subsidies and Medicaid/CHIP.

In CA-21, there are 7 community health centers, serving 530,219 patients every year, which would also be at risk if the ACA were repealed.

Pre-existing conditions will be gutted: About 6,093,000, or 25%, of California residents will face increased costs or be denied coverage for their pre-existing conditions.

Prescription drug costs for seniors will increase: Prescription drug costs will increase for the 12 million Medicare beneficiaries nationwide who have saved on prescription drugs due to the ACA's closure of Medicare Part D donut hole.