Rep. Escobar Marks 10th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, Calls on Republicans to End ACA Lawsuit

EL PASO, Texas, March 23 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following news release:

On the 10th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) called on the Trump Administration and Governor Greg Abbott to end the 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 4.8 million Texans, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"As our nation faces the unprecedented challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, Republicans' continued effort to eliminate the lifesaving protections of the ACA poses a devastating threat to El Pasoans," said Congresswoman Escobar.

"At this time of uncertainty, every El Pasoan and American must be sure that they will receive the critical medical care that they and their families need to stay healthy and safe. That is why today, I am calling on President Trump and Governor Greg Abbott to abandon their efforts to strike down the ACA and work together to expand Medicaid. El Paso families deserve no less."

Since becoming law in 2010, the ACA has become a pillar of health and economic stability for El Pasoans. It has protected 4.8 million Texans with pre-existing conditions, lowered drug costs for 12 million Texans on Medicare, and reduced the Texas uninsured population by over 872,581.

If the Trump Administration's lawsuit is successful in gutting the ACA, millions of Texans, including over 45,000 El Pasoans, would face staggering consequences:

* Uninsured Rate will Increase: Texas residents will lose expanded health insurance coverage through the ACA, leading to 1.7 million more Texas residents becoming uninsured - a 37 percent increase in the state uninsured rate.

* Federal Health Care Funding will Decrease: Texas will lose $6.5 billion in critical federal funding that pays for Medicaid/CHIP care and Marketplace subsidies, harming millions of Texans.

* Pre-Existing Conditions will be Gutted: About 4.8 million, or 28 percent, of Texas 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.