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Schakowsky Votes to Protect People with Pre-Existing Conditions

May 9, 2019

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky voted for H.R. 986, Protecting Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions of 2019. This legislation immediately rescinds damaging, dangerous guidance from the Trump Administration which allowed states to promote junk insurance plans that discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions and do not cover essential benefits.

It also prevents the Secretaries of HHS and Treasury from promulgating any substantially similar guidance or rule in the future. The Administration’s guidance even goes so far as to allow states to use federal taxpayer dollars to subsidize the purchase of junk plans, which do not provide protections for pre-existing conditions and do not cover essential benefits.

Congresswoman Schakowsky made the following statement regarding this legislation:

“This guidance is just another episode in the saga of Republican health care sabotage. It blatantly disregards our Congressional intent in drafting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to protect people with preexisting conditions and essential health benefits. Over 312,000 people in Illinois selected health plans through the ACA Exchange for 2019 – we must protect them.

“We must protect all Americans with pre-existing conditions, seniors struggling with high prescription drug costs, and the millions of Americans who have gained coverage under the ACA.

“We must protect women. When I was first sworn in as a Member of the United States Congress, being a woman was, in-effect, a preexisting condition, but the ACA changed all that. Now, the Trump Administration and Republicans want to go back. They should be ashamed of themselves.”

The bill passed the House by a vote of 230-183, with 1 voting present. For a video of Congresswoman Schakowsky speaking on the House floor about this bill, click HERE.

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Issues:Health