President Trump made an announcement yesterday regarding his new plan for healthcare coverage. “Over the next two weeks I’ll be pursuing a major executive order requiring health insurance companies to cover all preexisting conditions for all companies, … That’s a big thing. I’ve always been very strongly in favor. We have to cover preexisting conditions.” He added, “This has never been done before.”
President @realDonaldTrump is pursuing a major executive order requiring health insurance companies to cover all pre-existing conditions. pic.twitter.com/dXMJgjmo0w
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 8, 2020
There’s just one thing: coverage for preexisting conditions is already guaranteed under the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. And it’s been that way for a decade now. It’s somewhat surprising that the White House would make this announcement, since they’ve been trying to destroy Obamacare since Trump first took office.
Just two months ago, the Trump administration filed a brief with the Supreme Court to gut the ACA and declare it unconstitutional. If Trump’s case succeeds, around 20 million Americans would lose their healthcare coverage in the middle of a raging pandemic.
And it’s hardly the first attempt: rolling back the ACA has been a major republican talking point since the act was signed into law.
Trump’s personal vendetta against Obamacare has been a cornerstone of his platform, and something he has repeatedly promised his followers. And I guess his plan is to replace it with the exact same thing and call it Trumpcare? It’s a combination of ignorance and hypocrisy that very much defines Trump and his administration.
Many took to social media to call out Trump’s hypocrisy:
President Obama and Vice Presient Biden did it first. #Obamacare #ThanksObama pic.twitter.com/TtdlcTalWa
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@K_JeanPierre) August 8, 2020
I had the WEIRDEST dream last night:
I dreamed that trump pretended he hadn't been trying to kill Obamacare during a pandemic, and he was going to try to take credit for protecting preexisting conditions, which the ACA ALREADY does.
WEIRD, RIGHT?
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) August 8, 2020
You can’t give us something we already have through Obamacare. In fact, your stupid ass went to court to try to take it away from us and Republicans tried to repeal it in congress over 60 times. Man, your staff has failed you miserably. #SaturdayMorning https://t.co/NTT3EKm6kW
— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 8, 2020
Just a point of information, Mr. President: Requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions is already the law, it's called the Affordable Care Act—or Obamacare. And, by the way, your administration is currently arguing in the Supreme Court to strike down that law. https://t.co/zI9h5v1UXz
— Richard Stengel (@stengel) August 8, 2020
The condescension of @realDonaldTrump & his enablers is astounding. They think Americans are stupid. We’re not stupid. Those of us who have a pre-existing condition, or have a family member who does, understand the law already covers us.
You can smell the desperation of @POTUS. https://t.co/MHQa91Bpse
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 8, 2020
Basically @realDonaldTrump wants to get rid of Obamacare just so he can take credit for it. What a freaking child. https://t.co/A3Zhljllye
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) August 8, 2020
This policy is a preexisting condition. It’s called Obamacare. https://t.co/D2hipOS9tX
— Amy Berg (@bergopolis) August 8, 2020
I'll be curious to see how the lawyers try to square Trump signing this executive order while simultaneously arguing before the Supreme Court that the Affordable Care Act's protections for pre-existing conditions be annihilated.
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) August 8, 2020
Good to see Trump supporting Obamacare, even if a bit clumsily. Now he needs to tell his Justice Dept & GOP State AGs to quit their lawsuit that would undercut coverage for preexisting conditions. https://t.co/51z5Igm3nd
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) August 8, 2020
Check your voter registration, and gear up for November. It’s going to be a rough ride.
(via HuffPost, image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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