Throughout his career, Jeff Gorell has repeatedly proven that he puts himself and special interests first, and middle class California families last. That’s why each day for the next five days, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will highlight the top five reasons why Jeff Gorell is a puppet of special interests and cannot be trusted.
Today’s reason: Jeff Gorell took money from the insurance industry, and voted against protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions from insurance discrimination.
“Time and again, Jeff Gorell has repeatedly proven that he’s not who he seems while he pushes the agenda of special interests,” said Tyrone Gayle of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Jeff Gorell was more than happy to pad his campaign coffers with money from the insurance industry while voting against protecting individuals from insurance discrimination – it’s clear he’ll put himself and his special interest donors first, and he cannot be trusted to look out for middle class Californians.”
BACKGROUND:
Received over $80,000 in Campaign Contributions from the Insurance Industry. Over the course of his political career, Gorell has received $80,850 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry. [National Institute on Money in State Politics, accessed 9/08/14]
Gorell Voted Against Protecting Individuals with Pre-Existing Conditions from Insurance Discrimination and Limiting Overcharges to Seniors. In 2013, Gorell voted against prohibiting health insurance companies from discriminating against individuals with pre-existing conditions, including health status, medical condition, plan experience, and genetic traits, and limiting overcharges to seniors. The bills applied the individual insurance market reforms of the Affordable Care Act to health service plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care. The bills were supported by the AARP, California Alliance for Retired Americans, Health Access California, Consumers Union, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California and the 100% Campaign. ABX1 2 passed 52 to 25, and SBX1 2 passed 51 to 25. [ABX1 2, 4/29/13; SBX12, 4/25/13; ABX1 2 Assembly Bill Analysis, 4/26/13, SBX1 2 Assembly Bill Analysis, 4/19/13; AARP press release, 5/13/13; Associated Press, 4/29/13]
AARP Praised Governor Brown for Signing Bill Prohibiting Exclusions Based on Pre-Existing Conditions. “AARP is pleased that Governor Brown has signed legislation to protect consumers and reform the state’s private health insurance market as mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)… These bills [SBX1 2 (Hernandez) and ABX1 2 (Pan)] add several new consumer protections for individuals purchasing insurance either on the exchange or through the individual market, in accordance with the ACA. They forbid exclusions based on pre-existing conditions and limit rating to the factors of age, family size, and geographic region.” [AARP press release, 5/13/13]
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