[ad_1]
Win McNamee | Getty Images
President Donald Trump responds to questions at a meeting with military leaders in the Cabinet Room on October 23, 2018 in Washington, DC.
President Donald Trump again promised Wednesday to protect the coverage offered to Americans with pre-existing diseases. His repeated promises before the mid-term elections on November 6 hide the fact that his government has supported efforts to undermine the popular provision of the Affordable Care Act.
The ACA prevents insurance companies from charging more clients or denying them coverage if they have a health problem before their coverage begins. Although Trump publicly supported the coverage of pre-existing conditions, his administration helped put the provision at risk. The Justice Ministry has decided not to defend Obamacare in court against a Republican-led lawsuit in 20 states and questioning the constitutionality of the health care law.
They argue that the Affordable Care Act does not have the force of law legally after the Republicans removed its basic provision relating to individual mandate under their tax legislation last year. By refusing to defend Obamacare, the Trump administration tacitly supported the dispute, which could result in the end of the pre-existing condition provision if the states won their case.
On Monday, his administration also decided to expand access to short-term health plans, which do not necessarily cover pre-existing conditions. Health care advocates also expressed concern that the House's Obamacare repeal plan – to which all Democrats were opposed, since it had passed very close in the House last year with the support of the GOP – could weaken protection. Republicans have never succeeded in repealing the law, as the Senate has not passed its own version of the bill.
Democrats have made health care their top priority by trying to overthrow the House and many governor offices in the country. Attacks on pre-existing conditions have put Republicans on the defensive. According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, many politicians who have supported efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare have pledged to support this provision, which nearly three quarters of Americans support.
Even a US Senate candidate who started the lawsuit against Obamacare – Missouri Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley – promised to protect coverage from pre-existing illnesses while pushing to repeal the law.
It is unclear how Republicans would protect people with pre-existing illnesses when they got rid of Obamacare. As Democrats tackle health care, GOP lawmakers have proposed legislation to protect these patients.
But the proposals have shortcomings that could compromise the coverage, according to Politifact.
[ad_2]
Source link
