Heitkamp Has Continued to Push for Reasonable, Bipartisan Reforms to Make the Current Health Care Law Work Better for North Dakota Families; Make Health Care Affordable & Accessible

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to defend vital health insurance protections for North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions amid ongoing efforts from the administration to eliminate these rules.

Under current federal law, health insurers are prohibited from denying coverage or charging more for individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, or pregnancy. Last month, the DOJ announced that it will not actively defend in court these critical health care protections, which safeguard over 300,000 North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions.

“Instead of actually addressing skyrocketing health costs, stabilizing the exchanges, or preserving rules that help secure coverage for those with health problems, the administration is continuing to turn its back on millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions, including over 300,000 North Dakotans,” said Heitkamp. “This action could ultimately price out North Dakota families from any meaningful health coverage. I’m squarely opposed to this plot to eliminate protections for individuals and children with pre-existing conditions, and that’s why I’m pushing the administration to reverse its misguided decision and instead, make sure folks who are sick can’t be denied the affordable and accessible health care they deserve. It’s absolutely wrong to play political games with the livelihoods of millions of individuals who are sick, suffer from a chronic condition, or simply happen to be older—and I won’t stay silent as we face the real possibility of their health care coverage being wiped out.”

DOJ’s actions show an unprecedented effort to purposefully allow health insurance companies to charge individuals, children, and families more for health care or deny coverage if they have a pre-existing condition and charge the elderly and sick exorbitantly more for coverage. DOJ’s actions follow many other steps the administration has taken to undermine health care for individuals and families, including its action earlier this month which could drive up health insurance premiums this fall on consumers.

In a letter to the administration, Heitkamp joined many of her colleagues and outlined her commitment to improving health care coverage for all Americans, while also criticizing this blatant attempt to force millions of Americans to pay more for their health care coverage due to their pre-existing conditions. Click here to read the full letter.

North Dakota is one of 20 states that filed a lawsuit to repeal health care protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions— a reckless action which DOJ is now supporting. After the DOJ’s first announced its decision last month, Heitkamp pushed back against the DOJ’s support for the litigation. 

Background

Over the past three and a half years, Heitkamp has offered many reforms that would help the current health reform law work better for families and businesses. She is continuing to try to work with Senate Republicans and Democrats to reach compromise solutions that make health care affordable and accessible for North Dakotans. Since 2013, Heitkamp has also met regularly with her health care advisory board— comprised of health care leaders across North Dakota— to talk with them about health care in the state and improving the health reform law. 

Heitkamp has continued to seek additional solutions to address rising health care costs in North Dakota and across the country. Last week, Heitkamp cosponsored bipartisan legislation to suspend the Health Insurance Tax— a fee that directly impacts health care affordability for North Dakota families and small businesses. Last year, Heitkamp introduced a bill to delay the tax through 2019. A delay of the tax through 2019 was ultimately included in the government funding bill that was signed into law earlier this year.

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