GOP threats to affordable health care must be taken seriously

Demonstrators protest changes to the Affordable Care Act on June 22, 2017, during the Trump administration’s eventually failed effort to overturn it. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.)

Despite being the constant target of political demonization and sabotage from Republicans for nearly a decade and a half, the Affordable Care Act has been a success. Now, new numbers from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a leading health care nonprofit that focuses on policy research, show more people than ever are purchasing quality, affordable health insurance that gives people peace of mind knowing they can see a doctor when they get sick.

As a pastor and a Christian, I am defending affordable, accessible health insurance because I have seen first hand in communities across Ohio the impact a lack of health care can have on families’ health and economic wellbeing. 

Fortunately, ACA coverage in Ohio has more than doubled thanks to the efforts of President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress who have worked to protect and expand the ACA. But now, all of this progress is once again under threat.  

The Inflation Reduction Act, championed and signed into law by President Biden, reduced or eliminated out-of-pocket premiums for millions of people by expanding tax credits through 2025. Lowering premiums allows more families than ever before to enroll in the coverage they need to stay healthy – 80% can find coverage through the Marketplace for $10 or less. The average savings for the nearly 240,000 Ohioans receiving the premium tax credits is $481 per month. This is money they can put toward other everyday needs like putting food on the table and a roof over their heads.

The Biden administration also invested heavily in education and outreach, making it easier for people to enroll in coverage. His administration made the single-largest investment ever in the Navigator program to help connect more people to the best health plan for them, with a focus on outreach to people most likely to not have insurance such as those in historically marginalized communities. They also eliminated the family glitch, which previously blocked millions of families from receiving affordable coverage, among other initiatives. As a result, ACA coverage is more affordable to more people than ever before.

Despite its record success, Republicans in Congress can’t quit their attempts to repeal the ACA. Even as more Ohioians are relying on the ACA than ever before, Donald Trump and his GOP allies are renewing calls to repeal the law and its protections for people with preexisting conditions. Since he first reignited his promise to “terminate” the ACA in November, Trump has repeated his public attacks over and over again.

This isn’t new. During his time in office, Trump successfully weakened and undermined the law, leading to a drop in enrollment, and weakened protections for people with preexisting conditions. He was just one vote short of total ACA repeal in 2017, and now, Republicans in Congress have only fallen more in line with Trump. If the GOP gets its way, Ohioans would lose access to critical protections for preexisting conditions, free preventative services, and lower drug costs. The threat is real.

The stakes for American health care could not be higher and we must take these threats seriously. 

Rev. Dr. Brandon A. A. J. Davis is the pastor of the Warren AME Church in Toledo.

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