Attorney General Becerra: “We Should All Have Our Day in Court” in Defense of Affordable Healthcare

Coalition of 17 attorneys general request expedited ruling to defend the ACA against Texas’ motion for preliminary injunction

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, joined by 16 attorneys general, today requested an expedited ruling on their motion to intervene in Texas et al. v. United States et al., a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Texas that seeks to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The request for expedited ruling was filed in response to Texas’s recent motion for a preliminary injunction which, if granted, would lead to an immediate repeal of the ACA while litigation is ongoing. Today’s filing asks the court to swiftly rule on California’s motion to intervene, so that the coalition would have enough time to present evidence opposing Texas’ preliminary injunction before the deadline, June 7, 2018, and protect their states and residents.

“Texas filed a lawsuit with the sole goal of eliminating millions of Americans’ healthcare. Now they are attempting to stop our coalition from saving Americans from their destructive act,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Our coalition represents nearly half of the nation. If Texas believes in their position, then they should have nothing to fear from us presenting evidence in this case and having our voices heard. The stakes are high, and it is a foundational American principle that we should all have our day in court.”

The Texas lawsuit and motion for preliminary injunction imperils healthcare coverage and funding for all Americans, particularly vulnerable groups like seniors, children, and people with chronic medical conditions or disabilities. If the ACA was suspended through preliminary injunction, it would cause immediate and long-term harm to the nation’s healthcare system, including:

• Stopping Medicaid expansion;
• Ending tax credits that help people afford insurance;
• Allowing insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions;
• Taking away seniors’ prescription drug discounts; 
• Stripping funding from our nation’s public health system, including work to combat the opioid epidemic; and
• Disrupting both the federal and state budget.  

Joining Attorney General Becerra in filing today’s motion are the Attorneys General of: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.  

Attorney General Becerra is committed to protecting Californians' access to affordable healthcare. Late last year, California successfully defended affordable health coverage and stopped the Trump Administration from rolling back rules that aimed to deny women birth control. Attorney General Becerra recently announced the formation of a Healthcare Strike Force within the California Department of Justice to monitor and defend against efforts to undermine the ACA, Medicare and Medicaid, and access to quality, affordable healthcare for all Californians.  

A copy of the motion to intervene filed today is attached to the electronic version of this release at oag.ca.gov/news.