Supreme Court Nominee is a Threat to Rural Hospitals and Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions 

BISMARCK, ND — Today, President Trump announced Amy Coney Barrett, who has a written track record of disagreeing with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Affordable Care Act, as nominee for the court. The announcement came before Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was buried. After a legendary career, Ginsburg became the first American woman to lie in state at the Capitol. The president, aided by North Dakota Republican senators, is committed to rushing the nomination in the limited time before the election. North Dakotans have already begun casting their ballots.

The court is scheduled to hear a case supported by North Dakota Republicans on whether the Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land. The Supreme Court has twice already upheld the Affordable Care Act as constitutional. The legislation enabled North Dakota to pass Medicaid expansion, ensuring coverage for thousands and provided much-needed funding to rural hospitals that were on the verge of collapse and are still at risk of closure, especially without these resources. 

The Senate has also failed to pass any version of a COVID-19 relief bill since the pandemic began in March, despite ongoing public health and economic crises.

The Democratic-NPL Party Chairwoman Kylie Oversen said:

“If approved before the election, this Justice will hold the fate of access to affordable healthcare in her hands in the middle of a public health crisis. She may decide whether thousands of North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions can keep their coverage. She may determine whether rural hospitals that provide necessary care to much of North Dakota now being hit by COVID-19 can remain operating. Senators Cramer and Hoeven must put their partisan fealty aside, and take their duty to North Dakotans seriously. They must vote against any nominee who will limit access to affordable healthcare in North Dakota.”

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