[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 9, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN SUPPORT OF COVERAGE FOR PREEXISTING CONDITIONS
(Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute.)
Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. Speaker, one in two, the number of
Delawareans living with a preexisting condition, including cancer
survivors and those with chronic diseases.
Before the Affordable Care Act, having a preexisting condition meant
your access to healthcare was in jeopardy. You could be charged
unaffordable premiums with limited benefits or denied coverage
outright. Because of the ACA, the fear of not being able to find
coverage has been replaced with the guarantee of lifesaving
protections.
To those who want to roll back those protections, I ask you to think
about the Delawareans caring for a newborn with congenital heart
disease, those struggling to overcome substance use disorder, or the
many monitoring their blood sugar up to 10 times a day.
Just 9 years ago, this body rightfully promised to protect those very
people. I urge my colleagues to stand with me in defending strong
protections for people with preexisting conditions and reject efforts
to turn back the clock on millions of Americans and their families.
____________________