His opponent in November, state Superintendent Tony Evers, is calling on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to withdraw the state from a lawsuit which seeks to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Walker says that’s not happening.
Evers issued the challenge to the Republican governor in a video his campaign released on Monday. “For 8 years, Scott Walker has worked to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, and undermine its protections for the 2.4 million people in Wisconsin, with a pre-existing condition,” Ever says in the video. Evers is a cancer survivor.
Scott Walker says he wants to protect Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions. So why doesn’t he do it? Scott Walker, if you’re serious about protecting those with pre-existing conditions, then drop Wisconsin from the lawsuit and #ProtectOurCare. pic.twitter.com/itrtkS3p5Z
— Tony Evers (@Tony4WI) September 17, 2018
“The reason why we’re in the lawsuit has nothing to do with pre-existing conditions,” Walker said in Wausau on Monday. “That’s going to continue coverage there, that’s going to continue no matter what one way or the other. “The reason why we’re in the lawsuit has nothing to do with pre-existing conditions. That’s going to continue coverage there, that’s going to continue no matter what one way or the other.”
Governor Walker stops in Wausau to award technical college grants and talk about healthcare: https://t.co/VlcgdoLdaQ
— WSAU (@WSAU) September 17, 2018
Walker supports legislation, already passed by the state Assembly, which he claims would protect those with pre-existing conditions in Wisconsin.
But a health care advocate says Walker’s pledge to protect pre-existing condition coverage is deceptive, given his long time opposition to the ACA, and the state’s participation in the lawsuit.
“Governor Walker has not shown concern with this issue for most of his term as governor, and has repeatedly called for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act,” said Robert Kraig with Citizen Action of Wisconsin. Kraig said that the legislation supported by Walker would still allow health insurance companies to charge exorbitant rates to anyone who has a gap in coverage. “It re-legalizes pre-existing condition discrimination in a lot of cases here in Wisconsin.”