Democrats are firing back at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for saying that “everyone” in the Senate supports healthcare protections for people with pre-existing illnesses.
McConnell, R-Ky., made the comments when asked about the Trump administration’s recent lawsuit on Obamacare. The Justice Department has asked a court to undo Obamacare requirements that health insurers cover people despite their health status, without charging them more than other customers.
“Everybody I know in the Senate, everybody, is in favor of maintaining coverage for preexisting conditions,” McConnell told reporters. “There’s no difference in opinion about that whatsoever.”
In a statement issued in response to these remarks, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., argued that if that were true, then Republicans should not have repeatedly tried to repeal Obamacare and should speak out against the Trump administration’s lawsuit.
“If Republicans are serious about maintaining protections for people with pre-existing conditions, they should join us in urging the Trump administration to reverse their shameful decision to not defend the constitutionality of that vital provision that is already the law,” Schumer said. “Actions speak louder than words. So far, the Senate Republicans’ own legislation and the Trump administration’s actions prove that they’re hell-bent on sabotaging the system, driving up costs for American families, and undermining protections for pre-existing conditions.”
Some of the proposals that Republicans put forth last year made changes to Obamacare protections, including requiring coverage regardless of pre-existing illnesses but adding the ability for insurers to lock people out for a few months if they waited until they were sick to enroll. A separate bill left it up to states to craft healthcare plans that would cover their residents regardless of health status, such as by funding a high-risk pool to insure the sickest residents.
In a statement responding to McConnell, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., accused Republicans of trying to gut Obamacare’s protections for pre-existing illnesses.
“Many Republicans continue to want to pass harmful bills to do exactly that,” she said.
The Obamacare lawsuit will take months to resolve and could go through several appeals. Democrats have seized on the lawsuit and indicated the party will focus on healthcare battles ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
Democrats have said that they are open to working with Republicans on legislation that would inject increased federal funds into the Obamacare marketplaces and drive down premiums for middle-income customers, but they are unwilling to attach language to legislation that would prevent federal funds from going toward abortions, a GOP requirement.
Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, had worked with Republicans to craft the initial bill but ultimately blocked it from being attached to the spending deal over concerns it contained anti-abortion language they had not agreed to.
McConnell blamed Democrats for backing away from supporting the measure during the debate over the spending bill.
