Democrats on a House panel challenged Attorney General William Barr on Tuesday over the Justice Department’s legal position against ObamaCare, arguing that if the health care plan was struck down millions would lose coverage.
“If you are successful, 12 million people nationally and 750,000 in my home state of Pennsylvania who have coverage under the Medicaid expansion would also likely lose that coverage. Am I correct in that, sir?” Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) asked Barr during the House Appropriations subcommittee hearing during a contentious exchange.
Barr asked Cartwright if he thought the department will “prevail” in its support of a Texas district judge’s decision in December that ObamaCare is unconstitutional.
Cartwright then pressed Barr that the Justice Department is “devoting scarce resources” to the legal effort with dire consequences for consumers.
“We’re in litigation – we have to take a position – we take a position in litigation,” Barr responded.
Cartwright then repeated his line of questioning that if the Justice Department succeeds millions would lose health care and premiums would skyrocket.
“If you think it’s such an outrageous position, you have nothing to worry about,” Barr said. “Let the courts do their job.”
The federal judge’s decision is being appealed and could end up in the Supreme Court, which could invalidate the entire law.
The Trump administration’s support of the Texas federal judge’s ruling represents a change of heart in the White House, which had only wanted to knock down parts of the Affordable Care Act but now wants to overturn it completely.
Barr later defended his department’s decision to side with the judge.
“As an attorney general you take positions based on the law, and you litigate them in court and the court makes the decision,” Barr told Rep. Charlie Crist, a Florida Democrat, in another tense back and forth. “So if this was such a hokey position to take, what are you worried about?”
“What am I worried about?” Crist shot back. “What I’m worried about are the people I work for – the American people. And the people you work for, sir. And it’s our duty around here to look out for their best interests as public servants.”
But Barr said the Trump administration is “very worried” about what happens and said the president has been clear that he supports health care that protects people with pre-existing conditions.
“Worries about it so much that you’re pursuing a case that would take it away from them,” Crist said. “The irony of that is rich.”