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Congressman Johnson Slams Republican Lawsuit to Eliminate Protections for People with Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

June 8, 2018

Trump Justice Department Effort to Strike Down Key Protections Endangers More Than 4 Million Georgians with Pre-Existing Conditions

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) blasted Republicans' attacks on health insurance protections for people with pre-existing conditions, as the Trump Administration announced it will argue in court that the Affordable Care Act's provisions preventing insurance companies from denying coverage or charging more for pre-existing conditions should be struck down.

More than 4.3 million Georgians have pre-existing conditions, according to the Center for American Progress.

"Apparently, Republicans in Washington will stop at nothing to destroy the health coverage of people with pre-existing conditions," said Rep. Johnson. "House Republicans tried to take away these protections in Trumpcare, and now the Trump Justice Department is reviving this serious threat to families."

"If Republicans get their way, pregnant women and Georgians with asthma, arthritis, cancer, depression, diabetes or other pre-existing conditions will be dragged back to the dark days of astronomical costs and worse coverage," Rep. Johnson continued. "We see again and again that the GOP thinks big insurers should be able to victimize families for their past health conditions, and treat being a woman as a pre-existing condition. Republicans are going to keep attacking health care – they seem obsessed by it."

The spiteful sabotage of Republicans in the Administration and Congress is already directly taking a toll on Georgians lives. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), provisions of the GOP tax scam for the rich and the GOP's efforts to push families into shoddy junk plans will spike premiums by an average of 15 percent for Americans purchasing insurance on the individual market and push another 3 million off their coverage altogether.

"Georgians deserve better than the raw deal on health care that Republicans keep sticking them with," said Rep. Johnson. "I'm proud to fight this outrageous, cruel sabotage, while working to improve Georgia families' health care and offer A Better Deal to lower the surging cost of health care and prescription drugs."