The latest national report showed 3.3 million initial unemployment claims – the largest in history
Following last week’s Department of Labor report showing a record-breaking 3 million new unemployment claims across the country, Mike Garcia has an obligation to drop his support overturning the Affordable Care Act and its protections for Americans who will lose employer-sponsored coverage.
Garcia has campaigned on fully repealing the Affordable Care Act, saying we need to get it “off the books.” And Garcia has called for cutting Medicare and Medicaid, saying he was “not a big fan of Medicaid” and that he only supports Medicare “at certain levels.” Garcia’s agenda of stripping health care from California families while CA-25 has over 45,000 Medicare beneficiaries shows how out of step Garcia is during this crisis.
Last year, Washington Republicans voted to advance funding for a lawsuit that would repeal the ACA in its entirety – including its Medicaid expansion, insurance marketplace and protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions. A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation details the dangers such a lawsuit poses during this pandemic:
As the coronavirus outbreak puts pressure on the economy and there is likely a coming recession, the ACA will provide additional coverage options for those losing their jobs or experiencing large declines in income. This would be the first recession since the ACA was implemented, and the health law will provide a safety net that never existed before for those losing job-based health insurance.
If all or most of the law ultimately is struck down, it will have complex and far-reaching consequences and potentially eliminate many of the ACA provisions that would otherwise help some individuals avoid becoming uninsured due to the economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Statement From DCCC Spokesperson Andy Orellana:
“The Affordable Care Act’s marketplace, Medicaid expansion, and protections for people with pre-existing conditions are crucial for Californians who could lose employer-sponsored coverage. Voters in the 25th District deserve to know whether Mike Garcia stands with his party in trying to cut the health care of newly jobless Californians through this reckless lawsuit or with the Californians who need these protections the most.”
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