Washington, D.C. – As the Supreme Court begins its new term this week, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) issued the following statement highlighting a Center for American Progress report that underscores the critical role of the Affordable Care Act in protecting Nevadans’ health and wellbeing. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, over 78,000 Nevadans have survived the illness, and each one now has a preexisting condition that is protected by the Affordable Care Act.
“As a new Supreme Court term begins this week, I want Nevadans to understand the stakes. Mitch McConnell and President Trump are trying to jam through a nominee to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court. The next Supreme Court justice will be the deciding vote on whether to rip away health care from the 400,000 Nevadans, including 158,000 children that have received affordable, quality health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. In the middle of a tragic pandemic that has killed over 205,000 Americans, we’ve also had over 78,000 Nevadans test positive for coronavirus. Those 78,000 Nevadans join the 1.2 million people in the Silver State who enjoy protection from being denied health coverage under the Affordable Care Act because of their pre-existing condition. Make no mistake, Amy Coney Barrett would eliminate those protections as a Supreme Court Justice when the Supreme Court takes up a case to overturn the ACA just a week after the election. That case, argued by Republican state Attorneys General and supported by this President and his Department of Justice, and by extension this nomination, have enormous consequences for the future of Nevadans health care.”
BACKGROUND:
- Republicans in Congress have tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act over 70 times. And now, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected more than 7 million Americans and killed more than 205,000 Americans, they want to ignore the will of the voters and repeal it in the Courts.
- In Nevada, there are over 1.2 million people with preexisting conditions. And there are over 78,000 Nevadans who have survived COVID-19 and now have a preexisting condition.
- More than 20 million Americans have gotten health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and over 135 million are protected from losing their health coverage due to the protections for preexisting conditions under the law.
- This includes nearly 68 million women who have a condition that could be deemed a pre-existing condition, and nearly 6 million annual pregnancies that would likely once again be considered a preexisting conditions.
- This includes nearly 68 million women who have a condition that could be deemed a pre-existing condition, and nearly 6 million annual pregnancies that would likely once again be considered a preexisting conditions.