Murkowski ‘disturbed’ by Justice Department attack on coverage of pre-existing conditions
"I have been more than a little bit disturbed by the statement coming out of the
The 2010 ACA included a provision that required health insurance companies to offer protection to people with pre-existing conditions, without ratcheting up costs to prohibitive levels. It was the rare part of the "Obamacare" law that enjoyed bipartisan support, even amid
In December,
Earlier this month, DOJ said "that because of the individual mandate being pulled out that they can no longer defend the pre-existing condition requirement, (that it is) somehow unconstitutional. I don't understand their rationale behind that, and I don't accept that," Murkowski said.
The administration's argument is "a little narrower" than that of the state attorneys general, said
Murkowski,
And last summer, Murkowski irked some of her colleagues and President
But Murkowski also said she doesn't think that Trump is really behind his
Despite her dislike of the administration's approach, Murkowski was not too concerned that it be successful in court.
"I think (the policy) will withstand a legal challenge," she said. "I think you will have states defend it" in court, she said.
Aron-Dine said she feels confident that the court will say that
"Whether or not
At this time last year, the only thing "that everyone could come together around was that we were going to protect coverage for those with pre-existing conditions," Murkowski said. "We were going to argue about everything else."
Aron-Dine noted that Murkowski even wrote an op-ed in the
Alaska Independent Gov.
The decision "threatens health care coverage for many in our states with pre-existing conditions and adds uncertainty and higher costs for Americans who purchase their own health insurance," Walker said.
He and a group of governors asked the administration to reverse its decision. Walker and the bipartisan group have been working on their own framework for improving health care.
"And so now to see this, I think this is just the administration's effort to erode away so much of the underpinning of the ACA that everybody turns against it," Murkowski said.
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