On 10th anniversary of ACA, Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul and Wisconsinites who rely on the it highlight critical protections provided by the law and call on Trump administration to safeguard health care access.

MADISON, WI - Today, on the 10th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul held a press call highlighting the achievements made under the ACA and critical protections provided under the law that keep our communities healthy and safe. Attorney General Kaul was joined by Dr. John Harrington, as well as Sarah Conklin, who has pre-existing conditions and relies on the ACA to get the care she needs.

Currently, more than 2.4 million Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions are protected under the law, and in 2019 over 200,000 Wisconsinites selected a marketplace plan during the open enrollment period. Trump has continuously pledged to preserve protections for people with pre-existing conditions and lower healthcare costs, but his continued attacks on the law are doing just the opposite.

You can listen to the full audio of the press call here or see what AG Kaul and other said, in part, below:

Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul: "Today we recognize the 10th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act. This is legislation that transformed the state of Wisconsin and the country, protecting millions of people across the country with pre-existing conditions from being denied access to coverage.... Making sure that Americans have security with respect to their health care is always important, and it is especially important at this critical time....This is a time when Americans need greater security from our federal government. Americans have been asked to take extraordinary steps to help us fight the spread of the coronavirus. We need our federal government to take extraordinary steps as well. One way that it can support the American people as we fight this virus is by standing up for health security and dropping its attacks on the Affordable Care Act."

Dr. Timothy Harrington: “Since 2014, The Affordable Care Act has improved the care of patients with chronic diseases in Wisconsin by preventing insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, continuing young adults on their parents’ insurance, and funding insurance for more of those who couldn’t get insurance before...Since 2016, Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress have tried repeatedly to repeal the ACA in Congress and the Courts without offering any alternatives...The Coronavirus Pandemic is rapidly exposing the failures of Republicans’ health care policies and preparedness. Wisconsin’s citizens have a clear choice in the 2020 elections between electing Democrats in Washington and Wisconsin who will support access to health care for all, or condemning us to failed Republican approaches that would worsen our care and make it more costly.”

Sarah Conklin: “In the last 26 years I have given birth, had 16 surgeries, been diagnosed with relapsing/remitting Multiple Sclerosis and am a breast cancer survivor. All of this has meant countless health care procedures and prescription drugs I needed to recover and survive...While I still pay a substantial amount out of pocket, it would be impossible to pay without the protections I have for my pre-existing conditions...Many Wisconsinites gave Trump a chance in 2016 because he promised that he’d protect pre-existing conditions and lower health care and prescription drug costs. He has broken these promises over and over and over again. After failing to repeal the ACA in 2017, he has done everything in his power to undermine the law, and now has his Department of Justice challenging the law in the Supreme Court. My well being, the well being of my friends and neighbors, are all under threat because of President Trump...We can’t survive another four years of him in the oval office.”