SACRAMENTO — A 17-state coalition of attorneys general has joined efforts to defend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through a reply brief filed regarding a lower court's decision that declared the ACA unconstitutional in Texas v. U.S.
The coalition, led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, filed the reply brief in response to a Texas district court's decision and argues the ACA still remains U.S. law and that the ACA's end would affect millions of Americans and the health care system, according to the Attorney General's Office.
“It’s hard to imagine a world in which millions of Americans could lose health care, but these are the stakes right now in federal court,” Becerra said in a statement. “The Trump administration shows little regard for Americans’ health care, lives or the law.
"Every American could be affected by this case’s outcome: children, seniors, workers covered by employers or through the marketplace, and the hundreds of millions of people with a pre-existing condition. This shouldn’t be a debate. The ACA is the law of the land, and we will continue to challenge this dangerous attempt to undermine Americans’ health."
The coalition also argues that the court's ruling the ACA unconstitutional "lacked clarity" and requested the court to clarify its opinion. The coalition also seeks to have the decision brought before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Attorney General's Office said.