Attorney General Phil Weiser continues fight to protect Coloradans’ access to healthcare and the Affordable Care Act

July 9, 2019 (DENVER, Colo.) — In January, the State of Colorado joined a multistate lawsuit to protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA) after a federal judge in Texas declared the entire law unconstitutional in Texas v. U.S. Ahead of today’s oral arguments in the case that will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Attorney General Phil Weiser released the following statement:

“The U.S. Justice Department has taken the extraordinary step of refusing to defend the Affordable Care Act and asking a federal court to declare the entire ACA unconstitutional.  Under well-established legal principles, even when striking down a particular provision of a law, judges are instructed to leave in place other parts of that law. By calling for the invalidation of the entire ACA, the Justice Department is undermining the rule of law and threatening to upend the American healthcare system.

“In Colorado, the ACA has prevented insurers from denying coverage or charging unaffordable premiums to more than 700,000 adults with pre-existing conditions like cancer or diabetes. And the ACA’s Medicaid expansion has brought health care to 400,000 Coloradans and has enabled rural hospitals and clinics to survive and provide care for low-income patients who were previously underinsured or uninsured.

“Protecting healthcare is critically important for Colorado families and communities. This issue is one I continue to hear about in all corners of our state. No person, no matter where they live, should have to forgo healthcare because life-saving treatment is unaffordable. As Attorney General, I am committed to protecting healthcare for Coloradans, which is why we are fighting to defend this law and the access to quality and affordable healthcare that the ACA has made possible.”

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CONTACT
Lawrence Pacheco, Director of Communications
(720) 508-6553 office | (720) 245-4689 cell
Email: Lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov