Thread by @morethanmySLE

Under The Affordable Care Act, Health insurers can NOT charge more or deny coverage to you or your dependents on your insurance b/c of #PreExistingConditions of ANY kind.

Here are the 20 @GOP state AGs & Governors trying to nullify the #ACA

What YOU need to know!

(THREAD) 1/15

Feb.18: 20 States, led by TX, sued, claiming #ACA was illegal:

AL
AR
AZ
FL
GA
IN
KS
LA
ME (Gov. Paul LePage)
MS (Gov. Phil Bryant)
MI
NE
ND
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
WI
WV

2/15

Lawsuit argues w/o #ACA individual mandate (repealed in 12/17 #TaxBill) the entire law should be illegal! How? Why? What?

In 2012, Chief Justice John Roberts stopped a 2012 lawsuit to make ACA illegal. Roberts said Congress could not order people to buy insurance....BUT

3/15

...Congress could impose a tax penalty (#ACA individual Mandate) on them for not having insurance, which allowed the mandate and the rest of the #ACA to become law. The 12/17 #TaxBill repealed this mandate, thus the premise for the 20 State lawsuit.

4/15

With no financial penalty, the @GOP states argued the requirement to buy insurance cannot legally stand. They argue the mandate is key to #ACA, so the ENTIRE law should be found unconstitutional too.

5/15

6/7/18: Trump administration & AG Sessions agreed w/lawsuit: the repeal of #ACA mandate &, with it, the law’s rules that prohibits insurers from denying people health insurance or charging them higher rates due to #PreExistingConditions should now be found unconstitutional.

6/15

Justice Department lawyers informed the court the rest of #ACA would remain, including #Medicaid expansion. BUT, if the Trump administration’s argument were to succeed, insurers could once again be able to deny people insurance or charge more based on #PreExistingConditions

7/15

Trump administration has been trying to undermine #ACA via sabotage since 1/20/17!

Expanding short-term plans (insurance plans that don’t have to comply with the reforms) is one of many ways, but lawsuit would dismantle the foundations of the law.

8/15

https://twitter.com/morethanmySLE/status/976908225063858176

While the #ACA lawsuit plays out in the courts, insurers are setting their rates for 2019. Due to this uncertainty & instability created by this Administration turning its backs on those who are ill & most vulnerable, some plans are already increasing premiums by 30%++

9/15

.@larry_levitt of @KaiserFamFound “Any time there’s uncertainty about the future, insurers are going to build extra cushion into their premiums to make sure they get revenues while they can..”

Before #ACA, insurers denied coverage to millions w/#PreExistingConditions

10/15

7/19/18: 49 Democratic senators introduced a resolution, that would have the Senate intervene in the lawsuit brought by Texas & 19 other states against #ACA

To date, no Senate @GOP co-signed this intervention to protect ACA & #PreExistingConditions

11/15
washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthc…

9 of the 11 states with the HIGHEST rates of #PreExistingConditions among adults under 65 have signed onto the lawsuit to strike down the #ACA

In WV alone, 36% under age 65 have a #PEC!

1 in 3 of them would have a hard time buying insurance w/o #ACA protections.

12/15

.@KaiserFamFound estimates 27% of adults under 65 (or 50M), have #PreExistingConditions that would have jeopardized their coverage pre-#ACA If insurers didn’t deny coverage outright, they could have charged exorbitant premiums, or excluded coverage for costly conditions.

13/15

If #SCOTUSpick is confirmed, 20 state @GOP lawsuit could be HEARD by him!

We must keep calling our Reps & ask them NOT to confirm Kavanaugh or this could be the END of #ACA & people w/#PreExistingConditions having access to healthcare & treatment. We must ALL speak out!

14/15

Your voice is NEEDED to #ProtectOurCare #ACA & #PreExistingConditions

Use Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121 & make your #ThreeCallsToCongress

ALSO, please call AGs trying to make the ACA unconstitutional: naag.org/naag/attorneys…

Thank you for your advocacy!

End 15/15