Big Week in Health Care if You Have a Pre-Existing Medical Condition

By Barrett White

The Affordable Care Act, despite its flaws, has provided millions of Americans who have a pre-existing medical condition like cancer, asthma, or Alzheimer’s insurance coverage. But there’s a question as to whether those insurance protections will continue.

The News: With Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing to the Supreme Court, many of the questions from some senators are about his views on pre-existing conditions, given how the constitutionality of the ACA might come before the Court (if he’s confirmed, that is).

Also: Recently, six Republican senators introduced a new bill that would “guarantee Americans have equal health care coverage, regardless of their health status or pre-existing conditions.”  It prevents health insurance providers from denying coverage to or boosting the rates of those with pre-existing conditions.

Why This Matters So Much for Texans: The Kaiser Family Foundation has estimated that 4.5 million Texans have pre-existing health conditions. Furthermore, Texas is the most uninsured state in the nation.