The Trump administration has moved to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Columbus and several other cities for allegedly sabotaging the Affordable Care Act.
As The Daily Record reports, the defendants argued in a motion filed Monday that the dispute is a political disagreement outside federal court's jurisdiction.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore in August on behalf of Baltimore, Chicago and Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio. A Charlottesville, Va., couple is also part of the lawsuit.
The complaint asserts the administration is trying to discourage enrollment and reduce choices, and will destabilize the health insurance marketplace. Trump himself has promised to “let Obamacare implode.”
At the time, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said the administration also violated the “Administrative Procedures Act” and the Constitution’s “Take Care Clause,” which require the faithful execution of laws.
“The president is violating federal law. He’s violating his constitutional duties, and the time for criticism is over,” Klein said.
Enrollment in Affordable Care Act marketplaces fell this year, with health care advocates blaming the Trump administration. In Ohio, enrollment dropped by 18 percent in 2018.
The defendants argue the court can't instruct the president how to perform official duties.
A federal judge recently ruled the entire Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional, although the law remains in place for now.
