By Jesus Garcia
30 Oct 2024, 16:43 PM EDT
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson (Louisiana), confirmed that if the Republicans win Congress and former President Donald Trump returns to the White House, the so-called Obamacare would be canceled.
That would be through a broad reform of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which former President Trump has proposed.
Johnson confirmed the Republican plans at a campaign event in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he assured that the decision would be in the first 100 days of Trump’s presidency.
“Health care reform is going to be a big part of the agenda,” Johnson said, according to an NBC News report.
One of the attendees asks Johnson directly: “No to Obamacare?”
Then the House speaker, sporting a customized Trump-Vance campaign jacket, responded: “No to Obamacare.”
If the ACA is canceled, almost nine million Latinos, including 1.3 million children, could lose medical protection, according to data from UnidosUS.
Former President Trump’s plans also include giving greater power to insurers that would result in leaving those with pre-existing conditions without protection.
That could affect up to 43 million Latinos, according to UnidosUS, taking into consideration eight types of pre-existing diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, high cholesterol and even depression.
It is not the first time that Johnson speaks against the ACA, but always in a sense of reducing health coverage.
“We need massive reform to make it work. “We have a lot of ideas about how to do it,” Johnson said.
José Muñoz, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), warned about the Republicans’ plans and their impact on the working population.
“While Democrats have worked to cap the price of insulin, reduce prescription drug prices, and expand affordable health care, Mike Johnson is making it clear that if Republicans control the House next year, they would take away health care.” to millions of working Latinos,” he explained.