Says NJ Must Join Coalition of States Taking Legal Action To Protect Residents
TRENTON – Senate Nia H. Gill (D-Essex/Passaic) issued the following statement on the executive order signed by President Trump aimed at dismantling the Affordable Care Act and actions announced by the administration to end subsidies that help residents afford the cost of insurance:
“After numerous failed attempts to weaken protections and pull health coverage from Americans through Congress, President Trump is taking executive actions aimed at dismantling the Affordable Care Act. He has set in motion a plan to sabotage the law, which will fall squarely on the backs of our residents.
“The President’s latest move would have a devastating impact on our state, ending subsidies for 150,000 New Jerseyans that need them to afford the cost of insurance. This comes on top of the President slashing funding for navigators, which are critical to making sure our most vulnerable residents, including those with language barriers, enroll their families in health coverage. In addition, allowing association plans to be sold without important consumer protections would take healthy people off the healthcare exchange and lead to skyrocketing premiums for those that remain.
“We cannot allow the President to use the health of our residents as a bargaining chip in his political fight with Congress. New Jersey must defend against these actions. I am calling on the governor to join the coalition of states taking legal action against the federal government to protect against the removal of subsidies. New York, California, and other states have already committed to working to protect against the loss of care for their residents. New Jersey must also be on the front lines of this fight to defend our residents and their access to affordable quality care.”