With President Trump recently reiterating that he would like to completely abolish the controversial Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, congressional Democrats have been pushing the political narrative that millions of Americans would lose their healthcare, and that pre-existing health conditions would not be covered under any future healthcare reform.
Earlier this month, Florida Rep. Donna Shalala (D) stated that the “only healthcare plan” that “President Trump and the GOP” have proposed would repeal protections for pre-existing conditions and destroy the national healthcare system.
While Trump and Republicans have said that the pre-existing conditions measure would be covered, some Republicans are going further in trying to ensure Americans that old injuries or ailments will be addresses, and will be covered.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who last month introduced and passed an amendment in the Senate budget that protected pre-existing conditions, has co-sponsored the Protect Act with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) to help qualm concerns over pre-existing condition coverage, and allowing young adults to stay on their parent’s healthcare plan until they reach 26 years of age.
“It is absolutely necessary that we protect people with pre-existing conditions. This is personal for me. I remember my mom, who didn’t have insurance, struggling to find care for my brother who had a serious disease. She eventually found a charity hospital four hours away where he could get treatment,” said Scott.
According to Scott’s senate office, the bill calls for the following:
- Guarantee the availability of health insurance coverage in the individual or group market, regardless of pre-existing conditions;
- Prohibit discrimination against patients based on health status – including prohibiting increased premiums for patients due to pre-existing conditions; and
- Prohibit insurance companies from excluding coverage of treatments for a beneficiary’s pre-existing condition.
