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In the middle of a global pandemic, the Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to invalidate Obamacare. Also known as the Affordable Care Act, it is responsible for enabling millions of Americans to have insurance. This includes those with pre-existing conditions.
With the presidential election just months away, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to invalidate Obamacare.
In the late-night-filing, the Solicitor General Noel Francisco said that once two key positions and the law’s individual coverage mandate are invalidated, “the remainder of the ACA should not be allowed to remain in effect.”
Justices expect to hear the case sometime next term. However, it isn’t clear if this will occur before the upcoming November election.
In the filing, Francisco urged, “Nothing the 2017 Congress did demonstrates it would have intended the rest of the ACA to continue to operate in the absence of these three integral provisions.”
As a result, he said that “the entire ACA thus must fall with the individual mandate, though the scope of relief entered in this case should be limited to provisions shown to injure the plaintiffs.”
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The ramifications of ending health care for millions of Americans during a global health crisis is obvious. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was quick to make her thoughts known about the late night filing by the Trump administration.
“President Trump and the republicans’ campaign to rip away the protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act in the middle of the coronavirus crisis is an act of unfathomable cruelty,” she said on Thursday in a statement.
Joe Biden also lashed out at President Donald Trump. Namely, over how he has continued to seek an end to Obamacare during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Today, his Administration is filing a brief with the Supreme court to rip health care coverage away from 23 million Americans, including 224,000 Wisconsinites,” said Biden. This was in reference to Trump’s recent trip to the Badger State on Thursday.
“Every American deserves the peace of mind that comes (with) access to affordable, high-quality health care,” said Biden.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra also defended the law on Wednesday. He acknowledged how it has enabled millions of Americans to gain health care coverage.
“The ACA has been life-changing. And now, through this pandemic, we can all see the value in having greater access to quality health care at affordable prices,” said Becerra.
“Now is not the time to rip away our best tool to address very real and very deadly health disparities in our communities.”
From severe arthritis relief to help fighting cancer, the ACA has been a difference between life and death for many American citizens. But, invalidating Obamacare may put a quick end to that kind of health security.
However, time will tell. Hopefully, Americans will be able to retain their health care coverage during the ongoing pandemic.
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