WASHINGTON — When Democratic challenger Andy Kim ousted a House Republican incumbent last fall, health care was a big reason.

Just last week at a town hall meeting in Cinnaminson, health care was the top issue on voters’ minds.

“Health care was central not only to the campaign but the reason why I got into this race,” said Kim, D-3rd Dist. “Health care is such a worry to so many people.”

Kim on Tuesday joined fellow New Jersey Democratic Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. and Tom Malinowski in introducing legislation to strengthen the Affordable Care Act.

Their action came a day after President Donald Trump asked the federal courts to throw out the entire bill, taking health insurance away from millions of Americans and eliminating protections for those with pre-existing conditions such as cancer or diabetes.

The Democratic bill would expand tax credits to help buy Americans buy insurance and prevent the sale of policies that do not provide basic coverage for all policyholders, including those with pre-existing conditions.

“This comprehensive proposal follows through on our commitment to make health care more affordable and to defend critical protections for the more than 133 million Americans living with pre-existing conditions,” said Pallone, D-6th Dist., the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee with jurisdiction over health issues.

Kim’s opponent last fall, incumbent Republican Tom MacArthur, played a major role in the House GOP effort to adopt an alternative that the Congressional Budget Office said it would leave 23 million more Americans uninsured and jeopardize coverage for those with pre-existing conditions such as cancer or diabetes.

MacArthur claimed during the campaign that he fought to protect pre-existing conditions but independent health care experts said his legislation did the opposite.

Democrats across the country ran on improving rather than repealing the health care law and won 40 seats and a House majority. More than 4 in 10 voters listed health care as their top priority and supported Democratic candidates over Republican ones, 75 percent to 23 percent, according to network exit polls.

“Protecting people with pre-existing conditions, access to health care and controlling health care costs were on everybody’s mind,” said Malinowski, D-7th Dist., who defeated GOP incumbent Leonard Lance.

The legislation proposed Tuesday stood in contrast to the “Medicare for All” proposals embraced by several Democratic presidential candidates — including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. — and the party’s progressive wing. At its extreme, the proposal envisions eliminating private insurance altogether in favor of a government-run plan.

The Democratic efforts to improve the current health care law also contrasted with Trump’s efforts to kill the existing law.

Trump’s Justice Department on Monday urged a federal court to throw out the entire health care law, despite the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court already has upheld it.

In addition, proposed budget for the 12 months beginning Oct. 1 calls for repealing the current law.

Even so, he declared, “The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care," as he joined Senate Republicans at their weekly lunch at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Trump promised during the campaign to provide health coverage to everyone. But after embracing the failed Republican attempt to repeal the health care law and and leave as many as 32 million more Americans without coverage, he administratively took steps that raised insurance premiums for most policies while approving lower-cost alternatives that offered little coverage.

In addition, the Republican tax law did away with the requirement that all Americans buy insurance or pay a penalty. New Jersey then imposed its own individual mandate.

The Energy and Commerce health subcommittee on Wednesday is scheduled to consider several pieces of legislation to lower the costs of prescription drugs, including making it harder for companies to refuse to provide samples so generic competitors can make lower-cost copies

The subcommittee also will consider bills rolling back Trump administration rules that allow policies that do not protect those with pre-existing conditions, and restoring funding to help consumers choose proper health care plans.

“Trump has a history of broken promises on health care and we’re the opposite,” Pallone said. “We’re actually taking action and doing things. We’re just doing what we promised.”

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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