Federal Court Puts Health Care for Millions & Pre-Existing Conditions Protections At Risk After Ruling In Perdue-Backed Lawsuit

Perdue-backed lawsuit could increase costs, slash coverage and end critical protections for Georgians 

ATLANTA — Today, nearly 2 million Georgians with pre-existing conditions are more at risk than ever as a result of a court ruling in a Perdue-backed lawsuit. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled in Texas v. United States, a lawsuit that Perdue has said he “of course” supports that aims to overturn the entire health care law, striking down the law’s coverage requirement and sent the case back to the district court to determine whether to overturn the law entirely — including its protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

The ruling puts Perdue one step closer to his long–held goal of ripping apart the entire health care law, kicking millions of Americans off their insurance and making care unaffordable for many more.

What does Senator Perdue’s preferred outcome look like?

• One million Georgians would lose their health care coverage.
• Over 1.8 million Georgians with pre-existing conditions could see massive price increases and lose access to care.

• Georgians 26 and younger would be kicked off their families’ coverage.
• Essential benefits coverage ranging from maternity care to basic prescription drugs could be gone.

It’s no surprise that Perdue supported this reckless lawsuit. His record in Washington includes multiple votes to gut the health care law and undermine protections for Georgians with pre-existing conditions, not to mention raise costs and worsen coverage across the board.

But with Democrats gaining a clear advantage on health care and Republicans admitting this lawsuit is damaging, today’s ruling could have major political ramifications for vulnerable Republicans like Perdue. No matter what the cost is to his constituents, Perdue remains determined to pursue this partisan crusade against Georgians’ health care.

“By backing such a reckless and dangerous lawsuit, Senator David Perdue once again stood with special interests over hardworking Georgians,” said Alex Floyd, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia. “Rather than fighting to protect Georgians with pre-existing conditions or working to lower health care costs for families, Senator Perdue sided with a partisan lawsuit that is threatening access to care for Georgians. Given his out of touch priorities, it’s clear that Senator Perdue’s health care agenda is a disaster for Georgia.”

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