On the 15th Anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:

“Fifteen years ago, President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Democrats in Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, expanding health care coverage to millions of Americans and working families who were sick of being denied health insurance because of a preexisting condition, getting scammed by private insurers, or facing an impossible choice between getting the care they needed or paying the bills. But now, Donald Trump is threatening to strip health care away from the 45 million Americans who are covered under the ACA.

“If Trump gets his way, Americans with preexisting conditions could lose critical protections, prescription drug costs and premiums would go through the roof, and uninsured rates would skyrocket. The threat is very real: during his first term, Trump was only one vote away from repealing the ACA, and he campaigned on a promise to finish the job once re-elected. Democrats will stand with the millions of Americans who rely on the ACA to fight back at every turn to protect it.”

On Day One, Trump immediately got to work dismantling the ACA, signing an executive order targeting ACA protections for millions of Americans and 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 …”

After coming up just one vote short of in his first term, Trump has repeatedly doubled down on his extreme plan to repeal the ACA — gutting protections for over 100 million Americans with preexisting conditions and ripping away health care from millions of others. 

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”

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.” 

Trump: “Obamacare is a disaster. And I said, ‘We’re gonna 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.”

Economic Policy Institute: “Across the country, 29.8 million people would lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act were repealed—more than doubling the number of people without health insurance.”  

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

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.”

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).” 

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