A diverse group of community, nonprofit and healthcare leaders representing tens of thousands of patients and consumers is asking Attorney General Jeff Landry to withdraw Louisiana from a lawsuit that would overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA), imperiling health coverage for millions of Louisianans during a public health crisis.Â
A letter to the attorney general lays out what the people of Louisiana stand to lose if he and other reckless politicians are successful with their dangerous lawsuit.Â
“The Covid-19 public health emergency highlights the importance of a robust healthcare system able to provide quality care and respond quickly when new threats emerge. Thanks to the ACA, Louisiana entered the Covid-19 pandemic better positioned than most Southern states to both fight the pandemic and support the people of Louisiana with a more robust healthcare system and historically high levels of health insurance coverage. This lawsuit threatens to undo these gains,” said the letter, which is signed by the leaders of 22 regional and statewide organizations.
The ACA is more important than ever. Medicaid expansion, a hallmark provision of the law, currently covers over 500,000 low-income Louisianans with reliable and accessible healthcare. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of Louisianans are newly unemployed due to Covid-19 and have lost their employer provided health insurance. Medicaid expansion is a lifeline for Louisianans in need of healthcare during this global pandemic.  Â
California v. Texas would also repeal the federal law that prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to people because of a pre-existing condition. This part of the law has become even more critical now that insurers would likely consider Covid-19 a pre-existing condition for more than 50,000 Louisianans. This would also be devastating for the 932,000 Louisianans who currently have pre-existing conditions.Â
House Resolution 43 by Rep. Mandie Landry asks that Attorney General Jeff Landry withdraw Louisiana from this dangerous suit. It is being heard at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in the House Committee on Insurance.
June 2020| By Jamie Carson