Maryland Democratic Party Chair Responds to Governor Hogan’s Refusal to Fight for Marylanders’ Right to Healthcare

Annapolis, Md. – Today, the Maryland Democratic Party issued the following statement in response to Governor Hogan’s refusal to fight for Marylanders’ right to healthcare:
 
“While other governors—both Republican and Democrat—have stood up for their constituents and voiced their strong opposition to President Trump’s acts of sabotage, Larry Hogan once again can’t find the political courage to speak out against disastrous policies that nearly everyone agrees are harmful,” said Maryland Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Matthews.  “Why is Governor Hogan afraid to fight for Marylanders’ right to affordable health insurance?”
 
Yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order to exempt health care plans from critical consumer protection requirements and he announced that he is withholding cost sharing reductions (CSRs), which are the federal payments that health insurance companies rely on to keep coverage affordable. CSR payments help keep coverage affordable for more than 75,000 Marylanders, which is more than half of the total marketplace enrollees in Maryland.  Together, these acts will devastate thousands of working families in Maryland who will face dramatic premium increases—some will see their insurance premiums increase by 10 percent or more.
 
Trump’s actions yesterday drew sharp criticism from many Governors, including Republican Governors John Kasich of Ohio, Brian Sandoval of Nevada and Charlie Baker of Massachusetts.
 
Earlier this year, While Governors like Kasich, Sandoval and Baker were publicly pressuring their GOP colleagues in Washington to oppose TrumpCare, Governor Hogan was notably missing in action despite calls from Maryland families that he join them on the frontlines.  
 
After an 11th hour stunt by President Trump to save face by sabotaging health care for countless American families, Governor Hogan is once again missing in action.  Why won’t he fight for Maryland?