Senate Republicans believe in patient-centered health care that delivers the choices they want, the affordability and protections they need and the quality they deserve. That’s why U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today joined Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and 16 other senators in introducing the Protect Act, legislation that would protect Americans with pre-existing conditions and ensure that Americans have the peace of mind knowing that they and their loved ones will never be denied health care coverage or be charged more because of a pre-existing condition.
“Protecting patients with pre-existing conditions is something we can all agree on. I’ve long worked to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions, even before the passage of Obamacare on a party line vote,” Grassley said. “The Protect Act would provide peace of mind to millions of Americans who have been frightened by scare tactics being pushed in the media by self-interested politicians trying to convince Americans that this is a partisan issue. It’s not. Passing this bill is a chance for Democrats to prove they care about the issue beyond its use as a partisan talking point. Health care decisions made in Washington impact every single American. It’s the responsibility of Congress to put politics aside and work in the best interest of the people. That’s exactly what this legislation would do.”
Joining Grassley and Tillis as co-sponsors of the Protect Act are Sens. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Rob Portman of Ohio, David Perdue of Georgia, Joni Ernst of Iowa, John Cornyn of Texas, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Rick Scott of Florida, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Todd Young of Indiana, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Richard Burr of North Carolina.
The Protect Act amends the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to:
- Guarantee the availability of health insurance coverage in the individual or group market, regardless of pre-existing conditions;
- Prohibit discrimination against patients based on health status – including prohibiting increased premiums for patients due to pre-existing conditions; and
- Prohibit insurance companies from excluding coverage of treatments for a beneficiary’s pre-existing condition.
