In case you missed it, House Republicans are desperate to strike a morally bankrupt deal to pass a new repeal bill – but this time they are going to essentially throw out protections for people with pre-existing conditions by pricing them out of the market. Nearly every House Republican has guaranteed that any ACA replacement will protect Americans with preexisting conditions, ensuring that this deal will go down in infamy as one of the Republicans’ biggest broken promises.
“House Republicans have promised repeatedly not to go after Americans with preexisting conditions – and yet they are preparing to eliminate these protections and add to a long list of broken promises in their first 100 days,” said DCCC Spokesman Tyler Law. “If vulnerable House Republicans pursue a morally bankrupt repeal bill that rips insurance away from 24 million, raises costs, slaps an age tax on older folks, and now removes protections for preexisting conditions, they should be prepared for substantial blowback at home.”
Remember that fourteen vulnerable Republicans have already voted yes on a repeal bill that only had 17% support at a time when the Affordable Care Act is increasingly popular. While it’s uncertain if House Republicans can even pass a bill, there is certain to be plenty of arm-twisting and backroom deals to whip votes. The question now is whether vulnerable House Republicans will break promises made to their constituents in order to serve their party bosses.
Promise upon promise about pre-existing conditions…
- Speaker Ryan: “We believe in giving everybody the ability and the resources to buy affordable health care coverage, including people with preexisting conditions.”
- E&C Chairman Greg Walden (OR-02): “We want to make sure that people with pre-existing conditions continue to get covered”
- Martha McSally (AZ-02): Was “committed to ensuring that individuals with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable coverage options and cannot be denied health insurance” and promised replacement would bring down costs, increase competition.
- Jeff Denham (CA-10): Was an original co-sponsor of a bill expressing a commitment to protect people with pre-existing conditions after ACA repeal.
- David Valadao (CA-21): Co-sponsored a bill to protect people with pre-existing conditions after ACA repeal.
- Steve Knight (CA-25): “We need healthcare policy that provides individuals and families with access to quality and affordable health insurance, and an essential part of that is maintaining protections for people with pre-existing conditions”
- Ed Royce (CA-39): Was an original co-sponsor of a bill expressing a commitment to protect people with pre-existing conditions after ACA repeal.
- Mimi Walters (CA-45): “We’re committed to protecting patients w/ pre-existing conditions to ensure their access to quality, affordable healthcare.”
- Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48): Supported changes to health insurance tax incentives to promote potable insurance “while still covering pre-existing conditions”
- Darrell Issa (CA-49): Released a discussion draft of health care replacement that included “guaranteed coverage for pre-existing conditions” and “guarantees coverage and offers flat-pricing regardless of age or gender”
- Scott Tipton (CO-03): “Ensuring that patients with pre-existing conditions have access to health insurance will continue to be one of my top priorities”
- Mike Coffman (CO-06): “I will protect those with pre-existing conditions. … I will maintain that commitment.”
- Brian Mast (FL-18): “we also need to ensure that patients with pre-existing conditions won’t be denied coverage and that those who rely on Medicaid have access to quality care.”
- Carlos Curbelo (FL-26): “we’re keeping the things that work, like guaranteed coverage for pre-existing conditions”
- Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25): “Said he hopes for a legislative process that involves public hearings” and would “ensure the replacement addresses the varying health insurance needs of our country, lowers costs, and bolsters the economy.”
- Rod Blum (IA-01): Said the ACA “has some positive aspects, such as allowing parental insurance coverage for children up to the age of 26 and mandatory coverage of pre-existing conditions.”
- David Young (IA-03): “Wanted to retain some popular features of Obamacare, including protection for pre-existing conditions.”
- Peter Roskam (IL-06): “We’re prohibiting insurers from denying coverage or charging more money to patients with pre-existing conditions.”
- Mike Bost (IL-12): “We also must work to protect young adults and patients with pre-existing conditions and provide a stable transition that prevents the rug from being pulled out from under people.”
- Rodney Davis (IL-13): “I’ve introduced this bill to share the stories of people in my district who fear losing their insurance because of a pre-existing condition.”
- Kevin Yoder (KS-03): “Congressman Yoder has told leadership that removing preexisting conditions is a non-starter for him.”
- Bruce Poliquin (ME-02): Would “support a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, but only if the alternative plan includes coverage for pre-existing conditions”
- Mike Bishop (MI-08): “patients with pre-existing conditions will continue to have important protections.”
- David Trott (MI-11): “patients with pre-existing conditions need to be protected and have access to the coverage they need.”
- Jason Lewis (MN-02): “Rest assured, Republicans in Congress will continue … protecting those with pre-existing conditions”
- Erik Paulsen (MN-03): “Some of the most important things we can do are making sure we are preserving preexisting conditions”
- Don Bacon (NE-02): “Said he supports coverage for those with pre-existing conditions”
- Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02): “wants any replacement to the ACA to maintain the ban on all pre-existing conditions”
- Tom MacArthur (NJ-03): “One ad is even falsely claiming that I support legislation that would not cover pre-existing conditions—this is simply not true. I have never and will never support legislation that does this.”
- Leonard Lance (NJ-07): “I will not vote for any bill that in any way lessons or denies coverage based on pre-existing conditions”
- Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11): “we need to obviously cover issues that relate to pre-existing conditions” and expected the final bill “provides a stable transition period and protects coverage for young adults and those patients with pre-existing conditions.”
- Lee Zeldin (NY-01): “…while continuing to cover Americans with pre-existing conditions and allowing children to stay on their parent’s policy under age 26.”
- John Faso (NY-19): Committed to vote against any healthcare plan that allows for coverage discrimination or price increases for people with preexisting conditions, including by placing them in high risk pools
- Claudia Tenney (NY-22): “Any solution to Obamacare …protects viable options for those with pre-existing conditions.”
- Tom Reed (NY-23): “we needed care for like preexisting condition.”
- John Katko (NY-24): “I’m simply not going to vote for a bill that doesn’t have protections for individuals with preexisting conditions in there… they will be in any new package to my understanding on Republican’s side.”
- Chris Collins (NY-27): Is an original cosponsor of a bill expressing a commitment to protect people with pre-existing conditions after ACA repeal.
- Ryan Costello (PA-06): “my focus is to make sure everyone has access to affordable health coverage – no exceptions – and that includes those with pre-existing conditions and children under the age of 26.”
- Pat Meehan (PA-07): “he is still in favor of keeping such ACA provisions as coverage for children on their parents plans until the age of 26 and continuous coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.”
- Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08): Any replacement must include “treatment for pre-existing conditions and the right for children to stay on their parents’ health care”
- Lloyd Smucker (PA-16): Cosponsor of a bill expressing a commitment to protect people with pre-existing conditions after ACA repeal
- John Culberson (TX-07): “Health care should be accessible for all, regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illnesses”
- Will Hurd (TX-23): “I’ve heard loud-and-clear that while the American Health Care Act (AHCA) will increase insurance options and competition, it must help those who were previously uninsurable, and strengthen protections for the aged and disabled on Medicaid”
- John Culberson (TX-07): “Health care should be accessible for all, regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illnesses.”
- Pete Sessions (TX-32): Introduced health care alternative that preserved protections for people with pre-existing conditions
- Scott Taylor (VA-02): “Overwhelmingly, the people who support it are concerned about preexisting conditions, which I support, and so does the Republican Party of keeping that in place obviously to help people.” “We will protect those with preexisting conditions, we will work help those who can’t help themselves, work to get more access and more people covered”
- Dave Brat (VA-07): “He calmed nerves, for some, by stressing care would continue for those with preexisting conditions.”
- Barbara Comstock (VA-10): Supports “important principles like covering pre-existing conditions…”
- Dave Reichert (WA-08): “most importantly to me, people with pre-existing conditions must be able to get the health care they need.”