The Biden administration is appealing the decision and it will make its way through the courts—likely all the way to the Supreme Court.
A decision by a single federal judge in Texas recently ripped away no-cost preventive health care from over 150 million Americans. Because of this decision, health insurers will no longer be required to cover screenings for serious conditions including lifesaving lung cancer, colorectal, and other cancer screenings.
The decision made in Braidwood Management v. Becerra means more people won’t be able to access preventative care, and for people like me with an extensive family history of breast cancer, staying on top of those services can be lifesaving.
Living with a family history of breast cancer is terrifying. As a woman in my early forties, there is a feeling of existential dread looming in the back of my mind every single day. I live in constant worry that it is not if, it is when I get sick. Fortunately for me and for so many others living with this fear, we are able to have some peace of mind because we are proactive about making the most of any preventative measures available to us.
RELATED: Text ‘Join’ to Get COVID-19 and Health Updates in Rural Arizona
If this decision stands, we will be at the mercy of insurance companies, who may decide to charge for these critical benefits or eliminate them entirely. This would increase costs by thousands of dollars a year and create even more major obstacles to receiving care for the over 150 million Americans who rely on this provision.
Many of us, especially people struggling to make ends meet, people of color, and people with disabilities, will instead decide to forgo basic preventive services entirely simply because they can no longer afford them. Fewer screenings mean delayed treatment and worse outcomes.
Leading legal experts and patient groups have noted that the case has no legal merit and will only serve to harm millions of patients. The lawsuit instead has been brought forth by proven opponents of the ACA who are supported by Republican-backed political groups. The Biden administration is appealing the decision and it will make its way through the courts—likely all the way to the Supreme Court.
RELATED: ‘It Was Taxing to Say the Least’: One Arizona Family’s Experience With America’s Caregiving Crisis
Braidwood comes as Republicans in Congress have reignited their war on American health care, despite no-cost preventive care being supported by 79% of Americans. They have continually failed to repeal the ACA, so they have turned to the courts to try to rip it apart. They have voted to repeal the ACA and continue to vote against lowering costs and expanding coverage. Even as more Americans are relying on the ACA than ever before, Republicans remain focused on coming for the health care law from every angle.
This decision is a tragedy for millions of Americans. It will limit individual patients’ access to care and disrupt the entire health care system. It will lead to delayed treatments and worse outcomes, all because some lawmakers wanted to play politics with our health care.
Looking for the latest Arizona news? Sign up for our FREE daily newsletter.
Politics
Supreme Court hears oral arguments in major abortion access case
The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard oral arguments on a case that will ultimately decide the future of mifepristone access in the United States. ...
VIDEO: Arizona Rep. Lorena Austin explains why ‘SB1166 is a dangerous bill’
@coppercourier Rep. Lorena Austin commanded the floor when they spoke about SB1166. The bill would require parents to be notified no more than five...
Local News
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is inspiring a younger generation of players, including in Arizona
Shay Ijiwoye, one of Arizona's top high school players and a Stanford commit, is inspired by Iowa's Caitlin Clark. CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) —...
Prescription drugs are getting cheaper for seniors thanks to Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act
Prescription drug costs are falling by the thousands this year for more than a million American seniors due to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction...