Arriving to meet behind closed doors with Senate Republicans, ABC News’ Mary Bruce asked President Trump to share his message for Americans who may be worried about their health care.
A coalition of Republican-led states filed a lawsuit in Texas last year against the federal government, arguing that Congress’ decision to eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate penalty — a fee Americans paid if they didn’t enroll in some form of health insurance coverage — should render the entire law invalid.
“Once the heart of the ACA — the individual mandate — is declared unconstitutional, the remainder of the ACA must also fall,” according to the lawsuit.
The outcome of the case could translate into an abrupt and disruptive turn in the nation’s health care system. Some 8.8 million people signed up for a plan on Healthcare.gov for the 2018 coverage year.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar — who supported the lawsuit — has insisted that the administration has a “plan B” to protect people with pre-existing conditions if the court strikes down the entire health care law, commonly known as Obamacare.