Published: 5/15/2020 5:25:35 PM
Modified: 5/15/2020 5:25:22 PM
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to escalate, impacting millions more jobs with no end in sight, some lawmakers and special interests are continuing their efforts to take accessible health care coverage from more than 20 million Americans, including 100,000-plus Granite Staters.
More than 22 attorneys general, including the state of New Hampshire, will file their opening briefs to the Supreme Court in Texas v. United States, the lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. As the case is heard by the highest court, the Justice Department will argue in support of stripping away health care from some of the most vulnerable Americans in the middle of a devastating public health crisis.
Americans’ access to affordable health care has never been more critical, and relentless attacks on the Affordable Care Act leave New Hampshire residents vulnerable to losing health care coverage at a critical time when so many are filing for unemployment. Trump and his administration should be spending their time taking aggressive action to protect all Americans through measures like fully expanding Medicaid, opening a special enrollment for the uninsured, or increasing financial assistance for people struggling to pay for insurance. Instead, they are arguing before the Supreme Court that essential health care coverage should be taken from 20 million Americans, and key programs – like Medicaid expansion – should lose funding.
It is time to drop this lawsuit and focus on protecting Granite Staters when they need it the most.
JAYME H. SIMÕES
Concord