The future of legislation to protect people in Wisconsin who have preexisting medical conditions remains unclear. The state Assembly passed a bill on a bipartisan vote Tuesday that does three things, in the event the Affordable Care Act is ever repealed.
It prevents denying individuals insurance coverage because of a preexisting condition, something known a guaranteed issue. It prevents refusing to cover services that people need to treat a preexisting condition. And it prevents charging a higher premium based on a person’s health status.
The bill was amended by Assembly Republicans based on a meeting that Speaker Robin Vos and state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald had with Democratic Governor Tony Evers last week. The bill does not include essential health benefits, which Evers also wanted.
“These things (essential health benefits) have nothing to do with preexisting conditions,” Vos said prior to Tuesday’s vote. “For eight years, Democrats have been nothing but 24/7 bomb throwers, always trying to figure a reason that a deal should break apart. Now they have to actually sit at the table and negotiate, and give.”
We should be working together to protect the ACA and help more Wisconsinites access affordable healthcare. Unfortunately, in its current form, the GOP’s proposal would offer less benefits for fewer people.
Republicans must stop playing politics with Wisconsinites’ healthcare.
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) January 22, 2019
At least some Democrats were willing to give this bill their votes – it passed on a bipartisan 76-19 vote. However, Governor Evers has already signaled he won’t support the bill. He tweeted while it was still being debated that it “would offer less benefits for fewer people.”
