[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H5105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S REFUSAL TO PROTECT PATIENTS WITH PREEXISTING 
                               CONDITIONS

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, 115 people in America die from 
opioid overdose every day--115. While we are spending the next 2 weeks 
passing bipartisan legislation to combat the opioid crisis, President 
Trump's Department of Justice is abandoning the Affordable Care Act and 
its popular rule that protects Americans from preexisting conditions 
like opioid addiction. According to the Department of Health and Human 
Services, nearly 130 million adults under the age of 65 have 
preexisting conditions.
  This action taken by the Justice Department is bad policy, and it 
will do more harm to Texas, which already has the highest population of 
uninsured in the Nation.
  In fact, it will add more uncertainty to the Affordable Care Act 
markets at a time when Americans throughout the country will witness 
double-digit rate increases for the ACA plans next year. We can't 
combat the opioid crisis if we deny treatment and access to care for 
Americans with substance abuse.
  I urge my colleagues to do the right thing, speak out, and oppose the 
huge health insurance premium increases.

                          ____________________