U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Introduces Health Care Amendment to Protect Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today will introduce an amendment to the health care repeal bill to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions.
The amendment, led by Senator Baldwin and Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), would direct Congress to eliminate all the provisions in the partisan repeal legislation that threaten to make health care unaffordable for those with pre-existing conditions.
“People are speaking out in opposition to this repeal effort because health care is personal. It’s personal for me too because when I was young, I had a childhood illness and was branded as a child with a pre-existing condition. I’ve heard from Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions who are scared that the protections they have today won’t be there tomorrow if Republicans pass repeal legislation,” said Senator Baldwin. “The people of Wisconsin did not send me to Washington to take people's health care away. My amendment will protect access to affordable health care for the millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. This a guarantee that we must protect.”
Following Tuesday’s vote to begin debate, the Senate is currently considering amendments on the health care repeal legislation. Senators Baldwin and Hirono will introduce this amendment today and will push for a vote this week.
Specifically, this amendment would “eliminate provisions that threaten to make health care unaffordable for those with pre-existing conditions.” The current Republican health care repeal legislation would weaken guaranteed protections, rollback coverage of essential services, and could throw people with pre-existing conditions, struggling with a sickness, into a high-cost pool that could price them out of the health insurance they have today.
