Health care coverage is on the election ballot!

Remember that your vote can determine your health care! Echo opinion published in the Lansing State Journal, a Michigan newspaper.

For many Michiganders, the outcome of the upcoming November election could be a matter of life and death.

Depending on the outcome of the election, health care for millions of people could be in jeopardy. That’s why it’s crucial to know the facts when deciding who you’re going to vote for. Decisions about the health care that will be available to you and your families in the future will be made following the election.

It’s important to note that many Republicans have said they support Donald Trump’s lawsuit to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Others have not addressed their plans for health care. Both positions are dangerous for many people.

In Michigan, the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) means more than 720,000 people will lose their coverage, and the 4.1 million people in our state with pre-existing conditions will lose protections afforded to them under the Act.

In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in the lawsuit to repeal the ACA. The administration has made clear it seeks the destruction of the ACA, including its protections for those with pre-existing conditions.

During a global pandemic that has killed more than 6,500 people in our state, this is an especially cruel time to be fighting to rip coverage away from people who desperately need it. The pandemic has put a spotlight on this issue and shown all of us how important it is for every American to have access to quality, affordable health care. The stakes have never been higher for many Americans

It’s unfortunate health care has become an increasingly partisan issue, as we should all understand it to be a right.

Republicans in leadership have put partisanship ahead of the interest and safety of their constituents for too long. To make matters worse, they have tried to repeal the ACA without any replacement. When that failed, their next move was to file the lawsuit that is now before the Supreme Court with oral arguments beginning one week after the presidential election.

If the ACA is repealed, seniors would have to pay more for prescription drugs, and many young adults would no longer be able to stay on their parents’ health insurance. The 4.1 million Michiganders with pre-existing conditions would lose their coverage, or be once again subjected to unaffordable premium costs or lifetime caps on their coverage. These are just some examples of the long list of benefits that would be eliminated if the ACA is overturned.

Democrats in leadership have consistently supported strengthening the ACA — including introducing and passing legislation to expand the ACA, reduce costs and provide better coverage for families and lower the costs of prescription drugs.

These comparisons are to point out that we know clearly where the parties stand on health care. The question is simple: Will any Republican candidates disavow the Trump administration’s continual attempts to sabotage the ACA? Will they oppose the Trump administration lawsuit to repeal the ACA?

If the answer is no, or if the response is continued silence, Republicans have made voters’ choices in November easier.

Dianne Byrum is state director for Protect Our Care Michigan.