In response to Donald Trump rolling back Biden-Harris administration efforts to protect the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid, DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd released the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s immediate priority as president is ripping away affordable health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans and screwing over people with preexisting conditions. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, more Americans have health coverage than ever before, and Trump wants to unwind this progress even though the American people overwhelmingly support the ACA. Trump’s plans will do nothing but raise costs and make Americans sicker.”

NEW: Donald Trump signed an executive order rescinding the Biden-Harris administration’s protections for the ACA and Medicaid – on top of rescinding a Biden-Harris order to lower drug costs.  

White House: “The following executive actions are hereby revoked: …

“Executive Order 14009 of January 28, 2021 (Strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act). …

“Executive Order 14087 of October 14, 2022 (Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans).”

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services: “Executive Order 14009 in 2021 established the policy objective to protect and strengthen Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and to make high-quality health care accessible and affordable for every American.”

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services: “President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14087, ‘Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans,’ to further address prescription drug affordability through the work of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (the Innovation Center). The Innovation Center tests innovative payment and service delivery models designed to reduce program expenditures while preserving or enhancing the quality of care furnished to its beneficiaries.”

Trump has doubled down on his extreme agenda to repeal the ACA, which would gut protections for over 100 million Americans with preexisting conditions.

Kristen Welker, NBC News: “Sir, you said during the campaign, you have concepts of a plan. Do you have an actual plan at this point for health care?”

Trump: “Yes. We have concepts of a plan that would be better.”

Welker: “Still just concepts? Do you have a fully developed plan?”

Trump: “Let me explain. We have the biggest health care companies looking at it. We have doctors. We’re always looking because Obamacare stinks. It’s lousy. There are better answers. If we come up with a better answer, I would present that answer to Democrats and to everybody else, and I’d do something about it.” 

Spectrum News: “The ACA protects more than 100 million people with preexisting conditions from being denied care, plus it requires insurance plans to cover things like preventive care and limit out-of-pocket costs.”

After coming up just one vote short of repealing the ACA in his first term, Trump spent his campaign pledging to repeal it when he returned to the White House.

NBC News: “Trump approved a surprise decision to push for the complete elimination of the Affordable Care Act in the courts. If it succeeds, millions of Americans will lose their private insurance or Medicaid coverage and the health care system would be thrown into chaos.”

NPR: “The very day President Trump was sworn in — Jan. 20, 2017 — he signed an executive order instructing administration officials ‘to waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay’ implementing parts of the Affordable Care Act, while Congress got ready to repeal and replace President Obama’s signature health law.” 

The Hill: “On the campaign trail, Trump has doubled down on his promise to repeal the ACA, a feat he fell one vote short of in 2017.”

Associated Press: “Trump says he will renew efforts to replace ‘Obamacare’ if he wins a second term”

New York Magazine: “Vance: Trump’s Health-Care Plan Is to Let Insurers Charge More for Preexisting Conditions”

“What Vance came up with is not only surprising but, if understood properly, far more damaging than Trump’s original statement. The Trump plan, according to Vance, is to permit insurance companies to discriminate against people with preexisting conditions.”

REMINDER: Trump said that “there is a lot you can do” to cut Medicare and Medicaid – programs that millions of American families rely on.

Joe Kernen, CNBC: “Have you changed your outlook on how to handle entitlements, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid?”

Trump: “So first of all, there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.”

Vox: “Trump just opened the door to Social Security cuts. Take him seriously.”

Forbes: “Trump Floats ‘Cutting’ Spending On Entitlements Like Social Security And Medicare”

Rolling Stone: “Trump Floats Cuts to Social Security and Medicare”

REALITY CHECK: The majority of Americans approve of the Affordable Care Act and think the government has a “responsibility to ensure all Americans have healthcare coverage.” 

Gallup: “Sixty-two percent of U.S. adults, the highest percentage in more than a decade, say it is the federal government’s responsibility to ensure all Americans have healthcare coverage. …

“Fifty-four percent of U.S. adults approve of the ACA, essentially tying the record-high 55% readings in April 2017 (during Republican-led attempts to repeal the law) and November 2020 (after Joe Biden won election as president).” 

KFF Poll: “Majorities of Democrats [88%], Republicans [62%], and independents [73%] say it is ‘very important’ to continue each of [the Affordable Care Act’s] protections for people with pre-existing conditions.”

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