Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled to block enforcement of a long-standing provision of the Affordable Care Act that required health insurance plans to cover certain preventive services at no cost, from cancer screenings to important aspects of pregnancy care. In response, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
This decision is downright dangerous and upends the guaranteed affordability of crucial preventive services that millions rely on. Ultra-conservative MAGA judges are prioritizing their ideological agenda over the health of millions of Americans. Medical professionals, not judges, should be making decisions about patient care. Today’s decision has serious ramifications for people across America.
This case is also another reminder of the threats posed by the MAGA extremist judges who have established a foothold in America’s courts. The extreme right-wing movement is using these judges to advance its extreme ideological agenda, without regard for judicial precedent, legal norms, or Americans’ well-being. Today’s decision and the broader extremism and politicization of our courts hurts all Americans and threatens our health, safety, and democracy.
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