Assembly lawmakers pass pre-existing conditions bill ‘Pure deception’
Evers says proposal is inadequate without maternity, newborn care
MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday signaled he wouldn’t support a new proposal from Assembly Republicans to ensure coverage for pre-existing coverage because the requirements do not mirror those in the Affordable Care Act.
Assembly Republicans passed a bill Tuesday that would require health insurers to cover pre-existing health conditions and would ban insurers from dropping coverage for those who exceed caps on lifetime or annual coverage amounts.
The bill would take effect if the Affordable Care Act is overturned through a federal lawsuit, which Republicans support. It does not address how premiums would be kept from soaring without the federal law’s subsidies, drawing opposition from Democrats.
As Assembly lawmakers debated the bill, Evers said the legislation “is an attempt to provide political cover for Republicans who want to return to the days where insurance companies held all the power.”
Evers met with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald last week and requested any legislation passed would include bans on caps on coverage, which Republicans ultimately agreed to, and coverage for essential benefits like maternity leave, which was not included.
Vos said Tuesday the new proposal did not include all Evers’ requests because coverage for other conditions had nothing to do with pre-existing conditions protections, which Assembly Republicans want to focus on.
“If people want to try to throw other things into the mix to stop the deal from happening, I think that’s the cynicism people do not want in politics. These things have nothing to do with pre-existing conditions,” Vos said. “So for them to say, ‘If I don’t get everything, I’m going to veto a bill that protects people with pre-existing conditions,’ I think that would be a disappointment to the state and it certainly would be a bad sign for things to come.”
But Evers said “it would be very disappointing if Republicans don’t agree with the governor that coverage like maternity and newborn care is an essential health benefit.”
“The governor will review any amendments to the bill that are passed by the Legislature but doesn’t support Republican efforts to enshrine into state law lesser benefits for fewer Wisconsinites,” he said.
Vos urged his chamber during a floor debate on the proposal to pass the bill in order to remove worry from ailing Wisconsinites should the Affordable Care Act be overturned.
Republican Rep. Adam Neylon of Pewaukee said the legislation is “a commitment” to protecting preexisting conditions and should be seen as a first step.
But Democrats said the bill won’t work without addressing how it will keep premiums from increasing without subsidies provided in the federal law.
“It’s pure deception today to say we are providing pre-existing conditions coverage,” said Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, though he later voted in favor of the bill.
Rep. Gary Hebl, D-Sun Prairie, said the legislation is a “smokescreen” because it vows to provide protections that aren’t feasible without a new funding structure.
Ultimately, the measure passed 76-19, with 16 Democrats joining Republicans to support the bill.
Evers campaigned heavily against former Gov. Scott Walker’s authorization to join a federal lawsuit to overturn the federal law, and attributes the issue to his win over Walker.
Fate in Senate unclear
The legislation passed Tuesday faces hurdles in the Senate, where previous proposals to add insurance mandates have been unpopular.
When asked if the Senate will take up the bill, Fitzgerald said “We could, yeah, maybe. No, I mean, maybe, I don’t know.”
Fitzgerald told reporters he and Vos did not get a clear understanding about what Evers would sign after meeting with him.
“Vos and I kind of walked out of there thinking, you know, I don’t know what he’ll sign. And I think we still don’t know what he’ll sign, so it’s pretty hard to negotiate against that,” Fitzgerald said.
“If people want to try to throw other things into the mix to stop the deal from happening, I think that’s the cynicism people do not want in politics. These things have nothing to do with pre-existing conditions. So for them to say, ‘If I don’t get everything, I’m going to veto a bill that protects people with pre-existing conditions,’ I think that would be a disappointment to the state and it certainly would be a bad sign for things to come.”
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos