INDIANAPOLIS – Rep. Braun confirmed that he supports the Department of Justice’s lawsuit that would strip coverage protections for Hoosiers with pre-existing conditions, continuing his streak of supporting every major Republican effort to destroy those protections.
A Politico article from this morning made clear that Rep. Braun “has also endorsed a Republican lawsuit that would rescind the health care law along with [pre-existing conditions protections].” The remarks were made after the Washington Examiner had written that Rep. Braun received applause last week from a group of Republican activists for implausibly claiming he supported protections for pre-existing conditions.
Rep. Braun’s comments in the Examiner are difficult to square with his inability to support a concrete proposal that would protect those provisions, and they’re impossible to reconcile with his statement of support for the lawsuit recently joined by the Department of Justice. The lawsuit, initially brought by Attorney General Curtis Hill and the AGs of nearly 20 other states, expressly takes aim at the 1.1 million Hoosiers under 65 who have a pre-existing condition such as asthma, diabetes, or a history of cancer. The protections that prevent insurers from denying Hoosiers coverage for their specific health issues or jacking up their coverage costs astronomically are one of the most popular pieces of the current health care system.
Rep. Braun’s support for the lawsuit is just the latest instance in his consistent support for Republican proposals that would destroy protections for Hoosiers with pre-existing conditions. In the past year, he has also supported the House Republican bill which would have removed protections altogether as well as the Senate Republican bill which would have allowed insurers to raise rates exponentially on consumers with pre-existing conditions.
“Rep. Braun’s claim that he’d support protections for pre-existing conditions was as ridiculous as it was short-lived. He can try to have it both ways once again on an issue important to Hoosiers, but this much is clear: he supports destroying coverage protections for the 1.1 million Indiana residents with pre-existing conditions,” said Michael Feldman, spokesman for the Indiana Democratic Party. “His support for the DOJ lawsuit is simply a reminder that he won’t lift a finger to help Hoosiers with asthma or cancer, but he’ll say or do anything to help himself.”
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