Stabenow, Peters Announce New Legislation to Stop Expansion of Health Care Plans without Protections for Pre-Existing Conditions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) today announced new legislation to overturn the expansion of health insurance plans that do not protect people with pre-existing conditions. The new legislation is cosponsored by 30 Senators and would rescind the Trump Administration’s rule expanding short-term or “junk insurance” plans that do not have to provide health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions or other essential services such as maternity care and mental health coverage. More than half of people in Michigan have a pre-existing condition.

“It’s important that families understand that Republican efforts are still underway in Washington to undermine and take away their health care,” said Senator Stabenow. “For the half of Michigan residents who have a pre-existing condition like diabetes or heart disease, gutting insurance coverage with these junk plans can have life or death consequences.”

“The Trump Administration’s actions will price people out of the insurance market and force too many hardworking American families to make impossible choices between paying to see a doctor when they are sick or paying their bills,” said Senator Peters. “The Senate should pass this legislation to fight back against President Trump’s latest attempt to weaken health care coverage and increase insurance costs for those who need it the most, including seniors and people with pre-existing conditions.”

Stabenow and Peters previously called on the Administration to halt the expansion of these short-term health care plans ahead of the deadline for public comment in April 2018 and after the Administration received thousands of critical comments on the plan.

Congressional Review Act disapproval resolutions allow Congress to overturn regulatory actions taken by federal agencies with a simple majority vote in both chambers. They must obtain the support of 30 Senators on a discharge petition and 218 members in the House.

Text of the resolution is available here.