Advocates Highlight Urgent Need to Defend the Affordable Care Act in Court

Decision in health care repeal lawsuit could cause millions with pre-existing conditions to lose insurance

(January 17, 2020) -- Patients, Health Care Advocates rally in front of Sen. Thom Tillis’ Charlotte office to highlight urgent need to protect the Affordable Care Act.

(Raleigh, N.C.) – Today, Piedmont Rising joined health care advocates and North Carolina elected officials at a press conference to lay out the threat against North Carolinians if the partisan health care repeal lawsuit to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is successful. You can watch the press conference here.

Advocates called on North Carolina lawmakers to urge the Supreme Court to take immediate action on the case and highlighted stories from North Carolinians who will be at risk of losing health care if the lawsuit is successful.

(January 17, 2020) -- DonnaMarie Woodson, a Charlotte-area cancer survivor and health care advocate credits the ACA for saving her life.

“The truth is we are all just one degree away from a cancer diagnosis. Access to screenings, treatment, and medications through the ACA are the only reasons I am alive today,” said cancer survivor and health care advocate, DonnaMarie Woodson. ”I worry about the rising costs of cancer treatment options for myself and for other cancer patients. I worry that if the ACA is repealed, I may not be able to buy insurance again because of my pre-existing cancer history.”

Last year, over 1.2 million people in North Carolina had some form of cancer, which in most cases is a declinable pre-existing condition. If the ACA were repealed, more than 500,000 people in North Carolina could lose their health insurance, and millions more could be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

State Director of Protect our Care North Carolina, Jonathan Coby said,“The Fifth Circuit’s disastrous decision on President Trump’s Texas lawsuit puts the health care of millions of North Carolinians at risk. People living with a pre-existing condition, children, seniors, and women could once again be denied coverage or forced to pay more for care. Meanwhile, Senator Thom Tillis is siding with Trump over his own constituents who stand to lose everything if the Affordable Care Act is overturned. As we continue to hold events around the state with partners like Piedmont Rising to call attention to this health care emergency, we’ll remind Senator Tillis that he works for us, and he can be replaced.”

For more info or to schedule a media interview, please contact Jessica Coscia at 919-247-7999 or jessica@piedmontrising.org

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