Today the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments this fall in the Health Care Repeal Lawsuit. While we applaud the Court’s decision to hear the case, we are dismayed by the timing which strikes at the very heart of our democracy. Delaying the case until fall guarantees that some voters may cast their ballots, not knowing whether the Republican campaign to destroy the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will prevail. This delay extends the anguish and uncertainty of millions of people who rely upon the ACA.
From the start, the Trump administration’s lawsuit has endangered the health coverage of over 20 million people. It should be clear to everyone that the president and Republican lawmakers have fought tirelessly to overturn, undermine and sabotage the ACA. Now, in a brazen political ploy, they have urged the Court to delay overturning the law until after the 2020 election. And the Court obliged by rejecting an expedited review.
That the administration would go to such lengths to avoid an open and honest airing of this matter before the election reveals they know that a clear majority of the public supports the ACA and wants it preserved. We urge the Court to hear the case as soon as possible.