Legislator Releases Statement on Republican Effort to Eliminate ACA Protections

Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa released a statement about the GOP’s “assaults on people with pre-existing conditions” in Congress and the courts as oral arguments began on Sept. 5, 2018, in a federal district court in Texas.

The Republicans’ Texas v. United States lawsuit aims to strike down the Affordable Care Act’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

A Hanabusa press release stated that the Republican lawsuit jeopardizes the healthcare of 130 million Americans, including 68 million women and girls, nationwide. In Hawai‘i, 593,000 people with pre-existing conditions could lose their protections if the lawsuit succeeds.

“First, Republicans voted to take away protections for pre-existing conditions; now they’re suing to destroy these protections,” sad Congresswoman Hanabusa.“The House Republican plan to end protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions like asthma, diabetes, cancer, mental illness or substance abuse, a move that would have pushed tens of millions more off their affordable, quality coverage, failed last year. American families pushed back hard on attempts to take away their access to quality, affordable, healthcare. Unfortunately, Republicans have chosen to ignore the will of the people, and are now pushing a lawsuit that would spell the end of basic protections that prevent insurers from denying coverage to Americans with pre-existing conditions or charging them more. It is appalling that some of my colleagues across the aisle are working to make sure that women, children, kūpuna and millions of others could be deprived of affordable coverage for their entire lives. We will continue to fight For The People and work to realize A Better Deal to protect their care and lower their health costs.”