Speaker Pelosi Issues Statement on D.C. Circuit Ruling on Trump Administration Health Insurance Plans

SAN FRANCISCO, California, July 18 -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following statement:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released this statement after a panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2 to 1 to allow the Trump Administration to continue its expansion of short-term, limited duration health insurance plans that are not required to provide essential health benefits and can discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions:

"Even in the middle of the devastation of the coronavirus epidemic, President Trump has continued his all-out assault on the protections of the Affordable Care Act and dependable, affordable health care. It is disappointing that this court ruling will enable the Trump Administration to keep railroading vulnerable families into shoddy junk health insurance plans.

"After an accident or an illness, those pushed into President Trump's junk plans will find they've been paying for coverage that doesn't cover much at all. An investigation by the Energy & Commerce Committee uncovered widespread evidence of the abusive tactics and tragic consequences of the Trump Administration's junk plans.

"Instead of protecting people with pre-existing conditions, President Trump is in court defending his abusive junk plans while demanding that every last protection and benefit of the Affordable Care Act be struck down. Democrats will continue to fight to protect families from junk insurance plans while lowering health costs and prescription drug prices for all Americans."