America’s Frontline Physicians Call for Texas vs. Azar Decision on Affordable Care Act to Be Reversed on Appeal

By: Mark Del Monte, JD, Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer (interim), American Academy of Pediatrics

"In the wake of yesterday's ruling to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Texas vs. Azar, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) calls for an immediate appeal of the decision and urges the White House to stand by the law and not undermine its stability as the case works its way through the court system.

"In the eight and a half years it has been in effect, the ACA has made tremendous improvements to children's access to health care. Young adults can remain on their parents' insurance plans until they turn 26. Insurance companies can no longer refuse to cover those with pre-existing conditions, or charge them more for coverage, meaning that conditions ranging from asthma to pregnancy to cystic fibrosis can no longer completely devastate a family financially and leave those who need care unable to access it. Annual and lifetime limits on coverage no longer exist, meaning that a premature baby on private insurance can no longer exceed her lifetime limit on coverage before she even leaves the hospital. And the list goes on.

"The AAP fought to make sure children and families would be better off under the ACA, and we joined in court proceedings defending the law's constitutionality in 2012 to protect the gains we made. We defended this law from attempted repeals last summer because lives were at stake. They still are.

"This decision comes at a time when the number of children without health insurance has increased. Legislative, regulatory and judicial challenges to the law are having real impacts on the ground. Pediatricians will keep fighting for the children we care for to make sure they can continue to receive the care they need."

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit aap.org and follow us on Twitter @AmerAcadPeds.