Federal court rules Columbus lawsuit against Trump administration’s attempt to gut Affordable Care Act can move forward

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A federal court has ruled that a lawsuit brought forward by Columbus and other cities around the country against the Trump administration’s attempt to gut the Affordable Care Act, can move forward. 

According to Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, a federal court has rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the gutting of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). 

Columbus, the lead plaintiff in the case, was joined by Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago and Philadelphia, as well as residents of Charlottesville, Virginia when it sued the Trump administration to challenge policies that eliminate protections guaranteed by the ACA, increase premiums, and drive up the uninsured rate. 

“The Trump administration will now have to defend in court its policies to dismantle the Affordable Care Act,” stated Klein. “The impact of the administration’s sabotage has never been more deeply felt and our communities are suffering. We will continue fighting to hold the administration accountable to ensure Americans have access to health care coverage.” 

The suit was filed in August 2018 and amended in January 2019. 

In its decision, the court ruled that the case could proceed on the plaintiffs’ challenge to the Trump administration’s 2019 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters, a rule that governs how health insurance exchanges operate. 

The court found that the cities “fairly tie[d]” the Trump administration’s actions “to the harm alleged.” While the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ Take Care Clause claim, it did not, however, hold that the Trump administration’s efforts to sabotage the ACA were lawful, and the case will move forward.