Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, issued the following statement in response to a bogus new ad from the Kevin Cramer campaign:
“Kevin Cramer’s new ad is another unbelievably desperate attempt to sweep his own record under the rug. Make no mistake, Cramer has voted numerous times to eliminate pre-existing conditions protections hundreds of thousands of North Dakotans rely upon, he’s refused to take action to oppose the Trump-GOP lawsuit that would eliminate pre-existing conditions protections and he’s done nothing to fight the junk insurance plans promoted by the Trump Administration that don’t have to cover pre-existing conditions and can drop coverage for people when they get sick. If Kevin Cramer thinks he can fool the people of North Dakota about his record against pre-existing conditions protections, he’s got another thing coming.”
REP. KEVIN CRAMER VOTED TO REPEAL THE ENTIRE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WHICH WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
2013: Cramer Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. Cramer voted for HR 45, an act “to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” [HR 45, Roll Call Vote #154, 5/16/13]
2015: Cramer Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. Cramer voted for HR 596, an act “to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” The bill also ordered House committees to develop a replacement that would “provide people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage,” but provided no specifics. [HR 596, Roll Call Vote #58, 2/3/15]
- Cramer Said The Bill Would “Repeal The Affordable Care Act In Its Entirety.” “Today Congressman Kevin Cramer voted with the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act in its entirety.” [Cramer Website, 2/3/15]
What would full repeal of the Affordable Care Act eliminate?
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- Protections for 316,000 North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions, if they buy coverage on their own
- Improvements to Medicare, including reduced costs for prescription drugs
- Allowing kids to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26
- Ban on annual and lifetime limits
- Ban on insurance discrimination against women
- Limit on out-of-pocket costs
- Medicaid expansion currently covering 15 million people
- Rules to hold insurance companies accountable
- Small business tax credits
- Marketplace tax credits and coverage for up to 20,000 North Dakotans.
REP. KEVIN CRAMER VOTED FOR THE HOUSE HEALTH REPEAL BILL WHICH WOULD GUT PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
2017: Cramer Voted For AHCA. Cramer voted for passage of the American Health Care Act. [HR 1628, Roll Call Vote #256, 5/4/17]
American Medical Association: “The Bill Passed By The House Today Will Result In Millions Of Americans Losing Access To Quality, Affordable Health Insurance And Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Face The Possibility Of Going Back To The Time When Insurers Could Charge Them Premiums That Made Access To Coverage Out Of The Question.” “The bill passed by the House today will result in millions of Americans losing access to quality, affordable health insurance and those with pre-existing health conditions face the possibility of going back to the time when insurers could charge them premiums that made access to coverage out of the question. Action is needed, however, to improve the current health care insurance system. The AMA urges the Senate and the Administration to work with physician, patient, hospital and other provider groups to craft bipartisan solutions so all American families can access affordable and meaningful coverage, while preserving the safety net for vulnerable populations.” [AMA, 5/4/17]
American College Of Physicians: “This Vote Makes Coverage Unaffordable For People With Pre-Existing Conditions.” “The American College of Physicians (ACP) is extremely disappointed that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA) today. This vote makes coverage unaffordable for people with pre-existing conditions, allows insurers to opt-out of covering essential benefits like cancer screening, mental health, and maternity care, and cuts and caps the federal contribution to Medicaid while sunsetting Medicaid expansion…The House action is by no means the end of the story, however. ACP will continue to do all that it can to ensure continued coverage and access for the millions of patients who have benefited from the Affordable Care Act. In a strongly worded letter to the United States Senate also sent today, ACP urged Senators to reject this harmful legislation and begin anew to craft bipartisan solutions to improve coverage and access for all Americans.” [ACP, 5/4/17]
American Association Of Family Physicians: AHCA “Allow[s] For Discrimination Against Patients Based On Their Gender, Age, And Health Status.” “The American Academy of Family Physicians is deeply disappointed with the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the American Health Care Act. This legislation will harm millions of their constituents. It will destabilize our health care system, cause 24 million Americans to lose their coverage, and allow for discrimination against patients based on their gender, age, and health status. Its inadequate and temporary high-risk pool funds are simply a band aid that does nothing to provide health security to the nearly one in three Americans who have a pre-existing condition. Its provision allowing annual and lifetime caps on benefits diminishes the value of every policy sold in the future.” [AAFP, 5/4/17]
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network: AHCA “Would Create A Coverage Patchwork Whereby Patients With Pre-Existing Conditions Could Be Charged More For Their Coverage While Simultaneously Weakening The Rules For What Health Services Will Be Covered. “Today the House of Representatives passed a health care bill that could leave cancer patients, survivors and those at risk for the disease unable to access or keep quality health insurance. The bill would create a coverage patchwork whereby patients with pre-existing conditions could be charged more for their coverage while simultaneously weakening the rules for what health services will be covered.” [ACS CAN, 5/4/17]
AARP: AHCA “Now Puts At Risk The 25 Million Older Adults With Pre-Existing Conditions…Who Would Likely Find Health Coverage Unaffordable Or Unavailable To Them.” “AARP is deeply disappointed in today’s vote by the House to pass this deeply flawed health bill. The bill will put an Age Tax on us as we age, harming millions of American families with health insurance, forcing many to lose coverage or pay thousands of dollars more for health care. In addition, the bill now puts at risk the 25 million older adults with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer and diabetes, who would likely find health care unaffordable or unavailable to them.” [AARP, 5/4/17]
Consumers Union: “In A Field Where ‘Do No Harm’ Is The Standard, This Bill Does Nothing But Harm American Families.” “Elizabeth Imholz, Special Projects Director for Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports, said, ‘The House of Representatives today failed their constituents and the American health system by passing the American Health Care Act. In a field where ‘do no harm’ is the standard, this bill does nothing but harm American families. Taking insurance away from 24 million people, devastating Medicaid, rolling back protections for preexisting conditions and older consumers, increasing out-of-pocket costs, encouraging junk insurance plans without any meaningful coverage, and even allowing the elimination of out-of-pocket cost caps and reinstating lifetime limits for the nearly half of all Americans who get their coverage through their employers — these are the real consequences of the AHCA. Each iteration has only made this bad bill worse.’” [Consumers Union, 5/4/17]
America’s Health Insurance Plans: “AHIP Believes That Every American Deserves Coverage And Care That Is Affordable And Accessible, Including Those With Pre-Existing Conditions.” “AHIP believes that every American deserves coverage and care that is affordable and accessible, including those with pre-existing conditions. The American Health Care Act needs important improvements to better protect low- and moderate-income families who rely on Medicaid or buy their own coverage. We stand ready to work with members of the Senate and all policymakers, offering our recommendations for how this bill can be improved to ensure the private market delivers affordable coverage for all Americans.” [AHIP, 5/4/17]
REP. KEVIN CRAMER SUPPORTS A CONSERVATIVE LAWSUIT TO REPEAL THE ACA ALONG WITH ITS PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
Cramer refuses to oppose a lawsuit designed to end protections for people with pre-existing conditions. This summer, the Trump Administration refused to defend against a lawsuit brought by twenty conservative states aimed at overturning the Affordable Care Act and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Cramer has come out in support of the lawsuit. [Politico, 8/17/18]
REP. KEVIN CRAMER WON’T WORK TO OVERTURN JUNK PLANS THAT ALLOW INSURERS TO DENY COVERAGE BECAUSE OF A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION
Cramer refuses to join the House effort to overturn Trump administration’s junk plan rule that lets insurance companies discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. This summer, the Trump Administration finalized a rule that allows insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. Experts warn that this move will only increase the cost of comprehensive care, ultimately making it even harder for people with pre-existing conditions to get the care they need. House Democrats introduced legislation that would block Trump’s rule, but Cramer has not signed on.