(BOSTON-MA) — Statement of Robert Restuccia, executive director of Community Catalyst, in response to the release today of a new plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) and representatives from The Galen Institute and The Heritage Foundation, who oppose the ACA, drafted the plan.

“Opponents of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have put taking health care away from millions of people back on their agenda with the announcement today of a recycled plan to repeal the law. This latest ACA repeal plan would resurrect the most harmful and unpopular proposals of last year’s failed repeal bills that would have caused tens of millions to lose health care coverage, increased costs for older adults and those with chronic illnesses, and wiped out consumer protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. The proposal would also eliminate Medicaid expansion that has made it possible for 15 million low-income people to gain coverage, and would inject even more instability into the health insurance marketplace – which has already incurred significant damage due to the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to undermine it.

“This latest ACA repeal plan comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s release today of a final rule that allows the expanded sale of ‘association health plans.’ These plans would make coverage for people with pre-existing conditions unaffordable, further destabilize the ACA marketplaces by segregating people who are sick or have pre-existing conditions into separate health care markets, and allow employers and health insurers to sell subprime insurance that doesn’t cover one’s basic health care needs.

“And just last week, the Trump Justice Department announced it won’t defend the constitutionality of the ACA in court, putting at risk 130 million people with pre-existing health conditions. Those actions coupled with today’s release of this new repeal plan show that, despite public opposition, the Trump administration and its allies remain focused on upending the ACA and denying people the care and consumer protections they need.

“We urge Congress to reject this latest proposal and any future efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The American public has overwhelmingly rejected every single disastrous health care repeal proposal, and this one is no different. Policymakers should work in a bipartisan fashion to make the ACA and health care better for all.”

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About Community Catalyst
Community Catalyst is a national, non-profit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1998 with the belief that affordable quality health care should be accessible to everyone. We work in partnership with national, state and local organizations, policymakers, and philanthropic foundations to ensure consumer interests are represented wherever important decisions about health and the health system are made: in communities, statehouses and on Capitol Hill. For more information, visit www.communitycatalyst.org. Follow us on Twitter @HealthPolicyHub.