“The federal judge may claim constitutional grounds to support his decision, but this case has always been about politics,” said AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel. “The Republican attorneys general and governors behind it have for years attempted to dismantle the ACA, block Medicaid expansion and restrict access to women’s health. They own this outrageous assault on Americans’ access to affordable healthcare,” added Hochadel, who taught physics and science in the Connecticut Technical High School System.
“We know the special interests who fought for this outcome,” said AFT Connecticut Executive Vice President John Brady, RN. “They are no friends of working people, children, seniors or the economically disadvantaged. Organized labor supported the ACA because we stand up for all those who will be most harmed if this judge’s decision is allowed to stand. That’s why we’ll be fighting to appeal it,” added Brady, who worked at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.
“This ruling is the equivalent of a ‘code blue’ for Connecticut,” said AFT Connecticut Vice President for Nurses and Health Professionals Lisa D’Abrosca, RN. “Coverage for over 100,000 women and men enrolled in Access Health CT is threatened. Protections for anyone with pre-existing conditions — regardless of their medical insurance — are at risk. The consequences should be concerning for anyone who cares about the health of our state,” added D’Abrosca, a medical/surgical hospice unit nurse at L+M Hospital in New London.
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AFT Connecticut represents approximately 30,000 professionals across the state, including 7,500 nurses, technicians and healthcare workers in hospitals and community clinics, as well as school and home-based health settings. For more information, visit www.aftct.org or follow the labor federation on Twitter at @AFTCT and on Facebook at AFT Connecticut.
Click here for an explainer on the lawsuit from Protect Our Care.
Click here for the judge’s opinion in the lawsuit:
