MADISON – One week after Governor Walker announced he would be open to eliminating coverage of pre-existing health conditions, Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) joined Rep. Daniel Riemer (D-Milwaukee) and Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) in introducing common-sense legislation that protects patients, instead of padding the pockets of insurance companies.
This package of legislation would require Wisconsin to maintain popular, commonsense Affordable Care Act (ACA) health protections, including coverage of pre-existing health conditions, preventing health insurance companies from refusing to cover expensive medical services, maintaining essential and preventive health services, and restoring funding to family planning providers like Planned Parenthood.
Despite years of “repeal and replace” rallying cries, legislative Republicans have been eerily silent about the future of health care in Wisconsin since Trump’s inauguration, even in the wake of Governor Walker’s revelation last week that he would be open to raising premiums on individuals with pre-existing conditions. Examples of pre-existing conditions that may not be covered include rape victims who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders and women suffering postpartum depression. One in four Americans have a pre-existing health condition.
Rep. Taylor released the following statement:
“For months, Governor Walker and my Republican colleagues have been jet-setting to DC for photo ops and fundraisers with President Trump, Speaker Ryan and wealthy special interest groups. Now that chants of “repeal and replace” at political rallies have ended and Trump and Ryan are kowtowing to the demands of health insurance companies rather than the health care needs of Americans, we hear radio silence from Assembly Republicans about protecting the health care of Wisconsinites.
Wisconsinites deserve better.”
