Iowa Democratic Party Chair Mark Smith released the following statement following the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the GOP lawsuit to strike down the Affordable Care Act without a replacement in place and end protections for pre-existing conditions coverage for Iowans:
“If this lawsuit is successful, more than 187,000 Iowans will lose their health coverage, insurance companies will be able to deny coverage for 1.3 million Iowans with pre-existing conditions, Iowans across the state will have to pay more for out-of-pocket and prescription drugs, and rural hospitals across the state could be at risk for closure,” said IDP Chair Mark Smith.
“Ignoring warnings from health care experts, Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley recklessly voted for the 2017 GOP tax scam that cleared the way for this lawsuit to undermine Iowans’ health care. And despite her campaign promises, Ernst is silently standing by as insurers are on the verge of being able to discriminate against Iowans with pre-existing conditions. Iowans deserve leaders in Washington who will fight for them – not Big Pharma and corporate special interests who are trying to turn back the clock on Iowans’ health care.”