Yesterday, Texas federal judge Reed O’Connor issued a ruling that employers cannot be required to cover certain preventive health care services offered under the Affordable Care Act. These are services that include cancer screenings and medications for HIV and heart disease.
For decades, Americans struggled to receive the healthcare they needed simply because their insurer refused to cover it. Preventive care measures, such as cancer screenings, were a luxury, not a basic right. But for more than a decade since the ACA became law, 35 million Americans have had peace of mind because they gained insurance coverage, and the law required insurers to provide ten Essential Benefits that include preventive care, prescription drugs, emergency services, mental health services and many more, all at no cost.
This ruling – issued by the same judge who ruled the entire ACA invalid in 2018 – would impact the 150 million Americans who receive employer-based insurance. While we wait to see how things unfold, this attack on the ACA is a reminder of how critical the ACA’s protections are; likewise, it is a serious reminder that the ACA is under constant threat by the courts and many members of Congress.
The Affordable Care Act has brought quality healthcare to millions of Americans, and recent record-breaking enrollment figures have shown that its popularity is only increasing. Trying to strip Americans of their human right to quality, affordable healthcare is regressive and immoral.