For Immediate Release
Dec. 19, 2019
Contact: Brian Reardon, [email protected]

Statement by Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, President & Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) 

In light of yesterday’s ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Catholic Health Association again urges the upholding of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as the case goes back to the district court.  While the Fifth Circuit did not affirm the district court’s invalidation of the entire ACA, it agreed that Congressional removal of the tax penalty rendered the individual mandate unconstitutional and remanded the case back to the district court to consider the question of severability. 

We strongly urge the district court to hold the individual mandate severable, as clearly intended by Congress when it eliminated the individual mandate penalty but did not approve repeal of the entire ACA. Partisan politics should not be carried out in the courts.

We call on the district court to consider the potential damage to the lives of the nearly 20 million Americans who have gained access to affordable insurance coverage, including 12 million low-income individuals who have gained coverage through state Medicaid program expansions under the ACA.  We also call on the district court to consider the 130 million people with pre-existing health conditions—including 17 million children— who are protected from insurance coverage denials under the ACA and stand to lose that protection.   

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Download a PDF of the Statement