WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Democrats in Congress invited more than 80 patients, doctors and health care advocates from across the country to attend the State of the Union, part of a plea to President Donald Trump to drop his lawsuit to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
At a Tuesday press conference, Democrats introduced a number of patients with chronic illnesses, telling the president to protect patients with pre-existing conditions.
“I fear without the ACA and the protections, children like my daughter, children with complex medical needs and disabilities would be discriminated against and not have the health care they need to live and thrive,” said Andrea Pietrowsky of Michigan, whose daughter has a rare heart condition.
“Health care’s personal, it’s not political,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said.
She said if the president is serious about protecting Americans’ health care, he should back Democrats’ proposed reforms and drop his lawsuit against the ACA, more commonly known as Obamacare. Trump says he wants to replace the ACA with a cheaper option.
Democrats say they’ve passed nearly a dozen bills to expand access to health care and lower costs, but each one has been blocked by the Republican-controlled Senate.
“I will work with President Trump if he will help us lower the cost of prescription drugs, if he will drop this lawsuit,” Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said.
“I lived with a man who made me promise I’d never stop fighting to ensure that every American had access to affordable, quality health care,” she continued, referring to her late husband Rep. John Dingell.
The ACA lawsuit remains in limbo before an appeals court. It will likely head to the U.S. Supreme Court and a ruling could come next year.
