***For Immediate Release***
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Contact: Magdalena Cazarez
Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed
O: (402) 438-8853 ext 119
C: (402) 504-0074
mcazarez@neappleseed.org
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling on the Affordable Care Act potentially dangers health coverage for millions of Americans
Affordable Care Act and expanding Medicaid are essential to keep Nebraskans healthy.
Lincoln, NE — Today, Nebraska Appleseed’s Health Care Access Program Director Molly McCleery issued the following statement on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Texas v U.S. to undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including Medicaid expansion.
“Yesterday’s ruling that the individual mandate provision is unconstitutional and remanding the case back to a lower court to determine the fate of the rest of the ACA is extremely unfortunate. The ruling is inconsistent with past precedents and threatens the health coverage of millions of Americans, including tens of thousands of Nebraskans.
Invalidating the entire ACA would mean the end of critical programs and consumer protections, including Medicaid expansion, the Health Insurance Marketplace and its tax credits, and protections for pre-existing conditions. It would eliminate the ban on annual and lifetime limits, and children would not be allowed to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26.
Today, the ACA remains the law of the land. It has helped hardworking Nebraskans receive care to keep themselves and their families healthy. We are confident the ACA is on solid legal ground and will be upheld at the end of the legal process.”
In November of 2018, Nebraskans spoke and voted to implement Medicaid expansion for an additional 90,000 Nebraskans. For millions of Americans, Medicaid expansion has proven to be life-saving for those who previously lived without insurance. We will keep fighting to advocate for the ACA and make sure Medicaid is expanded swiftly in Nebraska without unnecessary barriers.”
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