Roskam has voted 14 times to repeal protections for people with pre-existing conditions

(Downers Grove, IL)  October 4, 2018 – This week, Peter Roskam tried to cover up his record on pre-existing conditions by signing on to a non-binding resolution that does not protect one person with a  pre-existing condition. In response to Peter Roskam’s attempt to feign support for pre-existing condition protections, Sean Casten released the following statement.

“Career politician Peter Roskam is clearly worried he’s going to lose his re-election because he’s suddenly trying to re-write his record on pre-existing conditions,” said Sean Casten, Sixth District candidate for Congress. “But there’s no fooling the voters of the Sixth District who know Roskam has been a rubber-stamp for Donald Trump, voting to kick 30,000 people in this district off their health insurance, raise premiums, and weaken protections for the over 322,000 people in the Sixth District with pre-existing conditions.”

“Peter Roskam has consistently tried to enable insurers to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, allowing them to charge more and raise premiums. I have said it before: access without affordability does not equate to coverage. It’s clear we need a different direction in Washington, not more D.C. political maneuvering.”

Recently, Peter Roskam called concerns about protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions a “straw man.” Peter Roskam also voted 14 times to eliminate protections for those individuals by repealing the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. He voted for the Republican healthcare repeal bill, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, independent fact checkers, and the AARP all agree would have weakened protections for those with pre-existing conditions, allowing insurers to discriminate against them and making their coverage unaffordable.

This week, Casten released a new TV ad highlighting Peter Roskam and Donald Trump’s efforts to cut Sixth District voters’ health care and his campaign announced it had raised over $2.6 million in the third quarter and received support from more than 79,000 contributors. Even though Roskam and his allies have spent millions of dollars attacking Casten, recent polling shows Casten has a 3 point lead.

Check the facts:

1. Voted For Repealing The Affordable Care Act. [HR 2, Vote #14, 1/19/11; CQ Floor Votes, 1/19/11]

2. Voted For Republican Budget That Repealed Affordable Care Act. [H Con Res 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; Washington Post, 4/15/11]

3. Voted For Republican Budget That Repealed Affordable Care Act. [H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12]

4. Voted For Repealing The Affordable Care Act. [HR 6079, Vote #460, 7/11/12; CQ Floor Votes, 7/11/12]

5. Voted For Republican Budget That Repealed Affordable Care Act. [H Con Res 25, Vote #88, 3/21/13]

6. Voted For Repealing The Affordable Care Act. [HR 45, Vote #154, 5/16/13; CQ Floor Votes, 5/16/13]

7. Voted For Republican Budget That Repealed Affordable Care Act. [H Con Res 96, Vote #177, 4/10/14]

8. Voted For Repealing Affordable Care Act. [HR 596, Vote #58, 2/03/15; CQ Floor Votes, 2/3/15] NOTE: This was widely publicized as being the 56th vote., and the 4th to completely repeal

9. Voted For Budget Alternative That Repealed The Affordable Care Act. [H. Con Res. 27, Vote #141, 3/25/15; US News and World Report, 3/25/15]

10. Voted For Republican Budget That Repealed The Affordable Care Act. [H. Con Res. 27, Vote #142, 3/25/15; New York Times, 3/25/15]

11. Voted For Republican Conference Report On Budget That Began Process To Repeal Affordable Care Act. [S Con Res 11, Vote #183, 4/30/15; Bloomberg,4/29/15]

12. Voted For Repealing The Affordable Care Act. [HR 3762, Vote #6, 1/6/16; CNN, 1/6/16]

13. Voted For Overturning Obama’s Veto Of Bill That Would Repeal The Affordable Care Act. [HR 3762, Vote #53, 2/2/16; Washington Post, 2/2/16] Note: Reported as 63rd vote

14. Voted For Beginning Process Of Repealing Affordable Care Act. [S Con Res 3, Vote #58, 1/13/17; CNN, 1/3/17]

Key ACA and AHCA Points:

• ACA Made It Illegal For Insurers To Deny Coverage To People With Pre-Existing Conditions.[CNBC, 9/5/18]

• The ACA Protected People With Pre-Existing Conditions As Part Of Its Consumer Protections, Of Which Essential Health Benefits Was Key [Center for American Progress, 2/15/17]

• Roskam Voted For The AHCA Which Gut Protections For People With Pre-Existing Conditions And Would Cause More Than 30,000 People In IL-06 To Lose Their Health Coverage

  • 2017: Roskam Voted For The American Health Care Act – The Republican Health Care Repeal Bill. Among it’s components, it would allow states to receive waivers to exempt insurers from having to provide certain minimum benefits, would provide $8 billion over five years for individuals with pre-existing conditions whose insurance premiums increased because the state was granted a waiver to raise premiums based on an individual’s health status. [HR 1628, Vote #256]

  • Politifact Found That AHCA “Would Weaken Protections” For Those With Pre-Existing Conditions, “Would Allow States To Give Insurers The Power To Charge People Significantly More.” [Politifact, 5/24/17]

  • More Than 30,600 People In IL-06 Would Lose Their Health Care As A Result Of The AHCA. [Center for American Progress, 5/25/17]