WATCH: Obama Highlights Walker’s Hypocrisy on Pre-existing Conditions Print
Elections, Elected Officials, Political Parties
Written by Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Alex Japko   
Saturday, 27 October 2018 14:44

obama-milw-102618Obama: “Let’s Also Call It What It Is. It Is A Lie” at Milwaukee rally on Friday.


MILWAUKEE, WI - Yesterday, President Barack Obama used his campaign rally in Milwaukee to eviscerate Scott Walker’s false promise to protect the 2.4 million Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions.

 

Watch it HERE, or below.

OBAMA: “Now that it's election season, these same Republicans are running millions of dollars worth of ads around the country saying we're going to protect pre-existing conditions. You're governor's been running one of those ads while his administration is literally suing the government to take away pre-existing conditions protections...I want you to think about this for a second. We just kind of take this for granted. Your governor has been running an ad during election time saying he is going to protect pre-existing conditions when he is literally doing the opposite. That is some kind of gall. That is some kind of chutzpah. But let's also call it what it is. It is a lie."

Walker has repeatedly claimed he will protect people with pre-existing conditions despite putting Wisconsin on a federal lawsuit that would gut those very protections.  Furthermore, if Walker’s lawsuit is successful, his own party has cast doubts about the possibility of passing astate-level plan with weaker protections for pre-existing conditions.

“Scott Walker is lying to the people of Wisconsin on protecting people with pre-existing conditions,” said DPW spokesman Alex Japko. “He needs to be upfront with Wisconsinites on why he is suing to end their protections.”

Background

HEADLINE: "Scott Walker Says He Would Cover Pre-Existing Conditions, But Backs Plans That Would End Protections." [PolitiFact Wisconsin, 10/18/18]

PolitiFact: Evers Statement That Walker Supports “A Health Care Plan That Would Gut Protections For Pre-Existing Conditions” Rated “Mostly True.” "Evers says Walker supports ‘a health care plan that would gut protections for pre-existing conditions.’  Walker has supported two efforts that would result in elimination of blanket protections for pre-existing conditions: Legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act and a lawsuit that would block it. The law provides a variety of protections to people with pre-existing medical conditions — including prohibiting insurers from denying coverage to those people and prohibiting them from charging those people higher rates. So, getting rid of Obamacare would eliminate those protections.  Walker has pledged that if Obamacare is repealed, he would seek legislation to guarantee coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. But it’s not clear how that legislation would compare to Obamacare and not clear if it could pass the Legislature.  For a statement that is accurate but needs clarification, our rating is Mostly True." [PolitiFact Wisconsin, 10/18/18]

Walker Called The Graham-Cassidy Repeal Plan “Awesome,” And “A Winner All The Way Around.” “Walker’s support for the plan, which was crafted by his fellow former 2016 GOP presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and will be introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), comes at a critical moment for the effort to repeal and replace Obamacare… ‘I think it’s awesome,’ Walker told Breitbart News of the effort… ‘It’s a winner all the way around,’ Walker said.” [Breitbart, 8/30/17]

  • Vox: Graham-Cassidy “Open[s] The Door To Sick People Once Again Facing Higher Premiums.” “In other words: Cassidy-Graham doesn’t allow insurance plans to charge women more, but it does open the door to sick people once again facing higher premiums.” [Vox, 9/13/17]
  • Under Graham-Cassidy, States Could Allow For Waivers That Let Insurers Charge Sicker Patients Higher Premiums. “The proposal would eliminate the health care law’s subsidies for private insurance and end the Medicaid expansion. States could allow for waivers that let insurers charge sick patients higher premiums and stop covering certain benefits required under the Affordable Care Act, like maternity care or prescription drugs.” [Vox, 9/13/17]


HEADLINE: “Scott Walker Would Consider Seeking Waiver To Let Health Insurers Raise Premiums In Wisconsin.” [Associated Press, 5/6/17]

  • Wisconsin State-Journal: “Walker Said He Would Consider Letting Insurers Hike Premiums For People With Pre-Existing Medical Conditions If Federal Obamacare Laws Were Changed To Permit It,” Only To Later Back Off The Idea. “In May, Walker said he would consider letting insurers hike premiums for people with pre-existing medical conditions if federal Obamacare laws were changed to permit it. Soon after he tweeted that ‘It is a given that WI will ensure coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.’” [Wisconsin State Journal, 9/24/17]


February 2018: Walker Signed-Off On A Legal Challenge To Dismantle The ACA. “But Schimel, also a Republican, received Walker's sign-off to move this week in a different direction, leading a group of 20 states who are suing to block Obamacare entirely. Though Republicans in Congress failed to repeal the law last year, Schimel argues that they made enough changes that the law is no longer constitutional … Schimel spokesman Johnny Koremenos confirmed Tuesday that the governor had signed off on the legal challenge — a necessary step before the attorney general can sue on the state's behalf.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/27/18]

New York Times: If Successful, Wisconsin’s Lawsuit Would “Eviscerate” The Affordable Care Act And Allow Insurers To Deny People Coverage Because Of Their Medical Condition Or History. “In a court case filed by Texas and 19 other states, the Justice Department said in a brief on Thursday that the requirement for people to have insurance — the individual mandate — was unconstitutional. If that argument is accepted by the federal court, it could eviscerate major parts of the Affordable Care Act that remain in place despite numerous attacks by President Trump and his administration. Insurers could again deny people coverage because of their medical condition or history.” [New York Times, 6/7/18]

HEADLINE: "Experts: State Bill On Pre-Existing Conditions Falls Short Of ACA Protections."[Wisconsin Public Radio, 9/18/18]

WPR: Walker Pre-Existing Conditions Bill “Would Still Let Insurance Companies Impose Lifetime Caps On Coverage.” "Gov. Scott Walker says he supports a bill that would cover pre-existing conditions at the state level. But the bill would still let insurance companies impose lifetime caps on coverage. The Assembly approved the bill, but it never made it on the books because the Senate didn’t pass it." [Wisconsin Public Radio, 10/10/18]

Walker’s Pre-Existing Conditions Bill Only Protected Those Who Maintained Coverage And Ordered Insurance Commissioner Ted Nickel To Propose A Plan For Everybody Else. "Assembly Bill 365 was written by Democrats but then extensively rewritten by Republicans in a late-night session.  The bill would now require insurers to take patients with pre-existing conditions if they have a history of maintaining coverage. For those with gaps in their health coverage, state Commissioner of Insurance Ted Nickel would be required to propose a plan to help them." [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/21/18]