Excerpts from AARP Pressroom May 13, 2020
WASHINGTON—AARP and AARP Foundation filed an amicus brief today, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower court ruling and uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) as the law of the land:
“Over the last decade, the Affordable Care Act has helped millions of Americans become healthier and more financially secure. It helps ensure people have access to health insurance when they need it most, and stabilizes our health care system at a time of crisis,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “A decision to invalidate the ACA would be catastrophic as American families grapple with a global pandemic, acute health care needs, and the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression.”
According to the brief:
“The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a lifeline for millions of Americans, including older adults who rely on it for their health, safety, and financial stability. More than ten years after its enactment, the ACA has become an integral part of the nation’s health care system and economy. Among other things, it provides millions of people with access to quality, affordable health care, guarantees coverage for people with preexisting conditions, and limits how much more insurers can charge older adults based on age….
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the ACA’s critical role as a stabilizing force in the nation’s health care system. For example, the law allows most newly unemployed people to obtain insurance on the ACA marketplaces and through Medicaid expansion, thereby helping the country to mitigate economic turmoil.
“If this Court finds that the ACA is invalid, millions of older adults will lose life-saving health care coverage and consumer protections they have relied on for years. It will also throw the Medicare and Medicaid programs into fiscal and administrative chaos. This, in turn, will further disrupt the nation’s health care system and economy. Finally, it will destroy hard-fought gains, such as meaningful choice for older adults to age in place and protections for nursing facility residents and the lowest income seniors who rely on Medicare.”
Also on the brief are the Center for Medicare Advocacy and Justice in Aging.
Read the full amicus brief here.
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