PROTECT OUR CARE. ** WEEKLY WRAP UP ** [ August 11-17, 2018 ] [Check out Protect Our Care s new ads in Maine, Alaska, Nevada and Nationally]

Transcription

1 PROTECT OUR CARE ** WEEKLY WRAP UP ** [ August 11-17, 2018 ] [Check out Protect Our Care s new ads in Maine, Alaska, Nevada and Nationally] Senate Republican Candidates Run From Their Record to Take Away Protections for People with Pre-existing Conditions Today s POLITICO story, GOP s Midterm Peril: What If They Win on Killing Obamacare?, laid bare the confounding position Republican Senate candidates have put themselves in in the face of consistent, overwhelming public support for protections for people with pre-existing conditions and with health care remaining a top issue for voters. Even though they ve voted numerous times to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions, have filed a lawsuit to eliminate these protections, or said they support total repeal of these protections, they hypocritically declare their support of the very same protections their actions would take away. Patrick Morrissey Is Party to the Trump-GOP Lawsuit That Would Get Rid of Protections for People with Preexisting Conditions, But Wants Voters to Believe He Supports These Protections. "Similarly, Morrisey said he supports pre-existing protection coverage despite being party to the lawsuit that would eliminate the law providing those protections. 'You can believe that some of the pieces, helping those who need it most, are good but still have a lawsuit to get rid of the awful policy of Obamacare,' Morrisey said." [Politico, 8/17/18] Kevin Cramer Supports The Trump-GOP Lawsuit That Would Get Rid of Protections for People with Pre-existing Conditions and Voted Repeatedly to Eliminate Them But Wants Voters to Believe He Nevertheless Supports The Protections. "Both Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley and Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) say they support protecting pre-existing conditions, though Hawley is a party to the lawsuit and Cramer supports it, saying: 'Who doesn t want the constitutionality of something reviewed?'" [Politico, 8/17/18] Mike Braun Supports Anything to Get Rid Of the Affordable Care Act, Including the Lawsuit, and Says Congress Should Then Pass the Very Same Protections (When All Four Major Senate GOP Repeal Bills Would Have Eliminated Them). "'Sure, anything that s going to actually get rid of it, yes,' said Indiana GOP Senate nominee Mike Braun of the GOP lawsuit to gut the law in an interview in Mishawaka. 'And then be ready to come back and talk

2 about what you re ready to do about pre-existing conditions and no limits on coverage. That s where you don t hear much conservative talk.'" [Politico, 8/17/18] Josh Hawley, Party To The Trump-GOP Lawsuit, Said The Senate Would Act to Protect People With Pre-Existing Conditions If His Suit Was Successful, Even Though All Four Major Senate GOP Repeal Bills Would Have Eliminated Them. "Hawley says he supports protecting pre-existing conditions as well as allowing children to stay on their parents plans until the age of 25. And he says if the lawsuit is successful and Obamacare is scuttled, the Senate must act to keep those provisions and rewrite healthcare laws. 'The Senate is not doing its job. There s no doubt about that. Claire McCaskill is a huge part of the problem,' said Hawley. Next year, Hawley says replacing Obamacare 'has got to be a top priority.'" [Politico, 8/17/18] Dean Heller Refused To Talk About The Trump-GOP Lawsuit, While Also Declining to Join Senate Democrats in Defending the Law In Court. "And vulnerable incumbent Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) refused to talk about the lawsuit on Thursday, though his office said he support pre-existing condition protections." [Politico, 8/17/18] Marsha Blackburn Refused To Talk About The Trump-GOP Lawsuit. "Several GOP candidates have not addressed the issue directly, wary that supporting the lawsuit will undermine Republicans stance that they stand to protect preexisting conditions. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said she still supports getting 'the whole [Obamacare] thing off the books.' but declined to weigh in on the lawsuit." [Politico, 8/17/18] Delegation Of North Dakotans Comes To Washington To Fight For Their Health Care On Wednesday, a delegation of North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions met with Senator Heitkamp immediately after her meeting with Judge Kavanaugh. The delegation included a mother and non-profit executive from Bismarck with two sons on the autism spectrum, a mother and realtor from Grand Forks who suffered a long-term injury as a result of an accident in her youth, and a mother from Arthur and her son who was born with a complex form of congenital heart disease. They came to DC to share their healthcare stories, thank Senator Heitkamp for being a champion for people with preexisting conditions, and urge no votes on Judge Kavanaugh s confirmation. The North Dakotans had a great meeting with Sen. Heitkamp, who expressed concerns about attacks on protections for people with pre-existing conditions and continued to play her Kavanaugh hand very close to the vest. KVRR: North Dakotans Go To Washington To Ask Sen. Heitkamp And Sen. Hoeven To Protect Obamacare

3 Three Things Sec. Azar Gets Wrong On Junk Plans On Wednesday, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, penned an op-ed for the Washington Post in which he is caught hiding the dirty truth about the Trump Administration s new policy to expand short-term, limited duration junk health plans. These junk plans are designed to take us back to when insurance companies could discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, exclude coverage for services like maternity care, and charge women and older people more. Junk plans can exclude or deny medical services such as prescription drug coverage, hospitalization, and maternity care. Even when plans say they cover prescription drugs, the benefit is often capped at a limit, such as $3,000. Adding insult to injury, short-term plans have a history of finding ways to deny coverage after people become sick. This happened to Dawn Jones, who was diagnosed with breast cancer after buying a short-term plan when she was between jobs. Despite not knowing she had breast cancer when she bought the policy, the insurance company refused to pay for her treatment, leaving her with a $400,000 medical bill. These plans are so awful that they are opposed by more than 98 percent of health groups that filed comments with HHS about Trump Administration s plan make them more widely available. Here are the facts: 1) JUNK PLANS HURT PEOPLE WITH COVERAGE IN THE ACA MARKETPLACES. Sec. Azar claims that junk plans improves the exchange risk pools. Healthy people will leave the individual market for these plans, causing everyone else s premiums to go up. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities notes, these plans will divide the market between those who are sick and those who are healthy: Short-term plans would be most likely to attract healthier people, leading to premium increases for ACA-compliant plans and destabilizing individual insurance markets across the nation. 2) JUNK PLANS MAKE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE MORE EXPENSIVE. Sec. Azar claims that repealing the individual mandate and expanding junk plans mean millions who couldn t afford health insurance will now be able to do so. Repealing the individual mandate and loosening short-term plan rules drive up premiums for everyone who needs comprehensive care. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that repealing the individual mandate will increase premiums by 10 percent annually for the next decade, and a report by Wakely Consulting Group estimates that short-term plans alone will cause premiums to increase by 1.4 percent in ) JUNK PLANS MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO FIND COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE. Sec. Azar says junk plans will improve health-care choice and competition. Azar could be right if you don t have a pre-existing condition, aren t a woman or person over fifty, don t need maternity care or prescription drug coverage, and will never have to use the hospital over the weekend. Junk plans are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions by dropping or denying coverage, charge women more, impose annual limits on care, and exclude basic coverage, like hospitalization, prescription drug coverage, and maternity care. In an analysis of short-term plans conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, no short-term plans studied covered maternity care, 62 percent did not cover substance abuse treatment, and 71 percent did not cover outpatient prescription drug services. One plan won t cover expenses if someone is admitted to a hospital on a Friday or Saturday.

4 DON T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT: STATE OFFICIALS WARN AGAINST JUNK PLANS State Insurance Regulators Express Concern That Short-Term Plans Are Being Marketed To Consumers In Misleading Way. "State insurance regulators, gathered over the past three days for a meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, expressed deep concern that short-term plans were being aggressively marketed in ways likely to mislead consumers. Many said the plans, which need not comply with the Affordable Care Act s coverage mandates, were a poor substitute for comprehensive insurance." [New York Times, 8/6/18] (AK) Lori Wing-Heier, Director Of Alaska Insurance Division: "I'm Concerned That People Will Buy These Policies, Show Up At The Hospital For A Condition They Did Not Expect, And Discover They Are Not Covered." [HuffPost, 8/5/18] (CA) California Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones: "Of Course They'll Be Less expensive...that's Because It's Junk Insurance And It Won't Cover The Same Things." [HuffPost, 8/5/18] (CO) Colorado Interim Insurance Commissioner, Michael Conway: People May Read Warnings, But Not Understand How Bare-bones These Plans Really Are. "They may read [the warning], but that s not the same as understanding it...because of the ACA, now people think the baseline has changed that certain things are always covered. [HuffPost, 8/5/18] (NY) Deputy Superintendent At New York Department Of Financial Services, Troy Oechsner: "These Are Substandard Products." "'These are substandard products,' sold on the premise that 'junk insurance is better than nothing' for people who cannot afford comprehensive coverage, Troy J. Oechsner, a deputy superintendent at the New York Department of Financial Services, told the insurers." [New York Times, 8/6/18] (PA) Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman Has Already Revoked The Licenses Of Eight Brokers Or Agents Misrepresenting Short-term Plans. "In Pennsylvania, Altman said she has already revoked the licenses of eight brokers or agents who had been misrepresenting short-term plans." [The Hill, 8/12/18] (TN) Tennessee Insurance Commissioner, Julie Mix McPeak Is Concerned About Whether Consumers Fully Understand The Plans They Buy. "'We have to really make sure consumers know what they re purchasing, and they re aware of what s covered and what s not covered,' Mix McPeak said. 'The last thing we need is for consumers to have surprise bills.'" [The Hill, 8/12/18] Kevin Cramer s Multiple Votes To Eliminate Protections For People with Pre- Existing Conditions Facing a powerful new ad from Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Rep. Kevin Cramer has become the latest Republican candidate to duck-and-cover from the GOP repeal-and-sabotage agenda, including his own votes to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions. He cast two of them: 2013: Cramer Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. Cramer voted for HR 45, an act "to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010." [HR 45, Roll Call Vote #154, 5/16/13] 2015: Cramer Voted For A Total Repeal Of The ACA. Cramer voted for HR 596, an act "to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010." The bill also ordered House committees to develop a replacement that would "provide people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage," but provided no specifics. [HR 596, Roll Call Vote #58, 2/3/15]

5 In fact, Cramer s own website acknowledges his vote would "repeal the affordable care act in its entirety." "Today Congressman Kevin Cramer voted with the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal the Affordable Care Act in its entirety." [Cramer Website, 2/3/15] Protect Our Care Statement on Rep. Cramer s Support of Trump-GOP Lawsuit to Eliminate Protects for North Dakotans with Pre-existing Conditions For the past 18 months, the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress, including Rep. Kevin Cramer, have been waging a relentless war on our health care -- undermining key protections for people with preexisting conditions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Trump Administration even went to court and asked a federal judge to overturn those protections. Last week, Kevin Cramer said he agreed with the suit. If Rep. Cramer has his way, insurance companies would have the power once again to deny, drop or charge more for coverage for people with pre-existing conditions like heart disease, cancer or diabetes. They would be able to impose annual or lifetime limits and charge women more. This is not a hypothetical debate. These actions could hurt hundreds of thousands of North Dakotans. If Republicans Win In November, They Admit They re Coming For Your Health Care Story after story has predicted that Republicans plan to repeal Americans health care should they win in November. Now, prominent Republicans are admitting the plan themselves. Should Republicans win in November, make no mistake they will try to take away your health care. No matter how hard they try to change the topic or hide the truth, it s clear they ve started to let the truth slip, which isn t good for Americans who work for a living and need affordable health care. IN THEIR OWN WORDS: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): If Republicans Expand Senate Majority, Another Repeal Vote Is Likely. "I suppose that it s all in the numbers, and if you had a significant enough shift in the Senate and you came up with a replacement that really did generate a level of support, yep. [Axios, 8/6/18] Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL): If Republicans Win In November, Republicans Could Repeal Health Care. Republicans could repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act next year if the GOP holds onto its majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, told a crowd in Anniston on Tuesday. Assuming this fall turns out as some of us hope it does, and we pick up a majority in the House, we re also going to pick up two or three seats in the Senate, Rogers said. [The Anniston Star, 8/15/18] Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): With 53 Members We Can Get Health Care Done. [Politico, 7/31/18] Repeal Is Like Fight Club, First Rule Is Not To Talk About It. Repeal is like fight club," one GOP operative told Axios Caitlin Owens. "First rule is not to talk about it." [Axios, 8/6/18] BACKGROUND: IF REPUBLICANS RETAIN A MAJORITY IN CONGRESS NEXT YEAR, THEY WILL TRY TO REPEAL HEALTH CARE AGAIN Axios: Many Republicans Assume Their Party Will Take Another Stab At Repeal If Midterms Go Their Way. Many Republicans assume their party will take another stab at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act if the midterm elections go their way, even though GOP candidates aren't making a big deal about it on the campaign trail. [Axios, 8/6/18]

6 New York Magazine: It Is Hard To Think Of A Legislative Priority That Would Rank Higher In [Trump s] Mind Than Health Care Repeal. If Republicans can add a couple more seats, they could give themselves enough margin to overcome the squishy reservations of Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski. If they merely hold their narrow majority, they might simply prevail on the two senators to submit. (Murkowski appeared to have been bought off by a special deal for her state last year.) Trump has never stopped talking about the failed repeal vote nor reliving his anger with McCain. It is hard to think of a legislative priority that would rank higher in his mind. A congressional party shorn of its most prominent Trump skeptics, many of whom are retiring, would behave even more submissively toward its leader. [New York Magazine, 8/6/18] Politico: With Larger Majority, No Longer Could Collins Or Murkowski Block Health Care Repeal. With even a slightly larger GOP majority, no longer could Murkowski or her independent-minded brethren like Susan Collins of Maine or Rand Paul of Kentucky effectively dictate which nominees or majority-vote legislation make it through the chamber. Gone, too, would be the constant headaches for Republican leaders sweating an absence, wavering senator or Vice President Mike Pence s availability to break a tie. Republicans might even have another shot at repealing Obamacare or shrinking the size of the federal government. [Politico, 7/31/18] Vox: If Republicans Win In November, Repeal Could Quickly Be Back On The Agenda. It s not at all out of the question that Republicans will hold on to the House and expand their Senate majority in the 2018 midterms. And if they do, repeal could quickly be back on the agenda. There would certainly be forces pushing for this, so I take it seriously, Kim Monk, who tracks health care policy for Capital Alpha. Senate aides say privately that Republicans remain open to taking on repeal again next year. [Vox, 5/14/18] Decoding Sen. Blunt s Doublespeak on Junk Plans This week, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) wrote an op-ed touting the Trump Administration s junk plan policy that expands the availability of short-term limited duration plans. Blunt makes a valiant effort to argue these junk plans are actually insurance, but we thought it would be helpful to translate what these plans mean for people. WHEN HE SAYS Junk Plans Will Meet The Needs Of Consumers. WHAT HE MEANS IS Junk Plans Can Discriminate Against People Based On Whether They Have A Pre-Existing Condition Or Gender. Short-term health plans are exempt from key consumer protections mandated by the Affordable Care Act. These junk plans are allowed to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions by dropping or denying coverage, charge women more, impose annual limits on care, and exclude basic coverage, like hospitalization, prescription drug coverage, and maternity care. Junk Plans Don t Have To Cover Certain Benefits, Forcing People To Pay More For The Same Comprehensive Coverage They Have Under The ACA. A study by the Commonwealth Foundation revealed that, While 35 states and the District of Columbia require short-term plans to cover at least one state benefit mandate, none of them require short-term policies to cover all essential health benefits. In a separate study of seventeen states, Commonwealth found that four states had no approved short-term plan sellers because they required such plans to cover all or some of the same rules as traditional coverage. The Congressional Budget Office has previously estimated that insurance plans that do not cover essential health benefits could supplement coverage by selling riders, such as a maternity care rider that would cost an additional $1,000 per month charging people who need comprehensive care even more for the same coverage. Most Junk Plans Did Not Cover Maternity Care, Substance Abuse Treatment Or Prescription Drugs. In an analysis of short-term plans conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, no short-term

7 plans studied covered maternity care, 62 percent did not cover substance abuse treatment, and 71 percent did not cover outpatient prescription drug services. WHEN HE SAYS Junk Plans Don t Require People To Pay For Benefits They Will Never Use. WHAT HE MEANS IS Junk Plans Can Discriminate Against People Who Are Sick And Need Care And Do Not Have To Provide Coverage For The Care You Need. Junk plans can exclude or deny medical services such as prescription drug coverage, hospitalization, and maternity care. Even when plans say they cover prescription drugs, the benefit is often capped at a limit, such as $3,000. One shortterm plan marketed by UnitedHealth s Golden Rule subsidiary does not cover hospitalization over the weekend, and only 29 percent of junk plans cover prescription drugs. Adding insult to injury, short-term plans have a history of finding ways to deny coverage after people become sick. WHEN HE SAYS Junk Plans Will Help Provide Coverage To Americans Who Are Uninsured. WHAT HE MEANS IS People Think They re Insured, But Find Out They re Really Not When They Get Sick. Because junk plans are so skimpy, insurance commissioners worry that they may trick people into thinking they have insurance only to be riddled with unexpected bills once they get sick. This happened to Dawn Jones, who was diagnosed with breast cancer after buying a short-term plan when she was between jobs. Despite not knowing she had breast cancer when she bought the policy, the insurance company refused to pay for her treatment, leaving her with a $400,000 medical bill. Constituents Say: Protect Our Care, Stop Kavanaugh at Events, Office Visits and in New Digital Ads This week, Republican Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Dean Heller returned to Washington after being inundated with phone calls, letters, s and visits from constituents pleading with them to defend the health care protections millions of Americans rely upon and stop Brett Kavanaugh s nomination to the Supreme Court. Yet these Senators refuse to conduct a thorough review of Brett Kavanaugh s record and downplay or ignore the pleas and concerns of their constituents. Both Kavanaugh and the Senators who offer him their support are paying a price with their constituents. Polls show that Kavanaugh is the least popular Supreme Court nominee in recent history, less popular than Harriet Miers, whose nomination was withdrawn, and more recent polls show him under water. Support for Kavanaugh is also starting to become a political negative for Senators themselves, with a poll showing Senator Collins has an approval rating of just 49 percent, reportedly her lowest in years. But instead of town halls or open meetings, constituents found closed doors at Senator Heller s office in Reno and resorted to searching for Senator Collins at unlisted public appearances in Augusta. So in response, Protect Our Care went up with new digital ads featuring the impossible-to-ignore stories of Mainers, Nevadans and Alaskans concerned about Brett Kavanaugh s nomination to the Court. View the ad here:

8 Though constituents struggled to meet personally with their Senators, Collins and Murkowski did speak with reporters last week. Senator Collins downplayed the threat Kavanaugh poses, saying, For those who have somehow drawn the connection between [Kavanaugh s] not wanting to hear [a case on the ACA] because of jurisdictional issues and the very important consumer protections that are part of the ACA is, to me, a stretch. Senator Murkowski seems to refuse to ask Kavanaugh about his view on the constitutionality of the important consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act -- which are under attack in the courts right now -- saying, "I don't want to be in a situation where I'm going to say I'm not going to vote for you unless you promise me you're going to rule this way...that's not a good process.' Senators need to listen to their constituents, who are fully aware that our health care is under attack in the courts, said Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care. Cases designed to roll back the protections in the Affordable Care Act that millions of people count on, to roll back Medicaid, and to end safe and legal abortion are live in the courts right now and likely to make their way to the Supreme Court soon. These are life and death issues that matter deeply to us, which is why the public is demanding that their Senators stand up and stop Kavanaugh. More Information About the Stories Featured In Protect Our Care s New Ad (watch the Alaska, Nevada, and Maine versions here) Kristen Nilsen, a Mainer with a pre-existing condition who has faced higher costs due to Republican sabotage of the ACA: Prior to the Affordable Care Act, I would have had to spend $1,500 a month [on health care], and that was all due to the fact that I had a very minor pre-existing condition that prevented me from getting an affordable plan. So I was very pleased that I was able to use the Affordable Care Act My concern is that the Republicans will continue the sabotage that they have been waging against the ACA and people wkith pre-existing conditions will get discriminated against if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed. Allison Stephens, a Nevadan who is the parent of a child with pre-existing condition: When my son was six years old, he was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. The fact is, my son has to see a specialist who comes from out of state, he has to take chemo injection, he has to take special eye exams because of the autoimmune nature of his illness. My son has a pre-ex and without the protections of the ACA we would be in a scenario where he could be denied access to insurance or denied access to care. Genevieve Morgan, a Mainer with a pre-existing condition:

9 While I was getting a check-up, it revealed an anomalous high blood-pressure reading, which led to further tests that showed I had a genetic incurable disease my children are now at a 50/50 chance of inheriting it. We are all one doctor s appointment away from catastrophe the system should at least give people with pre-existing conditions the protection of having health insurance. Mark Regan of the Disability Law Center of Alaska: A concern about Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his nomination to the Supreme Court is the extent to which Judge Kavanaugh will likely protect people with disabilities and pre-existing conditions. Laura Packard, a Nevadan living with a pre-existing condition: Senator Heller knows the threat that Brett Kavanaugh poses to million of Nevadans and to Americans access to health care across the country and we demand that he stand up for the people he was elected to represent. I have a whopper of a pre-existing condition: I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. I have a policy through the ACA, but who would insure me if not for these protections? Across States, Americans Fight For Pre-Existing Condition Protections ALASKA Tuesday, August 14 Letter Delivery/Story Telling event in Anchorage On Tuesday, Protect Our Care and Planned Parenthood joined local activists to deliver letters to Senator Lisa Murkowski s Anchorage office. The personal letters urged her to stand with Alaskans and reject Trump s Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Thursday, August 16 What s at Stake with Kavanaugh Press Conference in Juneau On Thursday, Protect Our Care and Planned Parenthood were joined by State Rep. Sam Kito and Alaskan health care advocates at a press conference to discuss what s at stake with the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Juneau residents shared their stories of the necessity for a SCOTUS that protects our rights to health care access.

10 Juneau Empire: Kava-nots gather at Capitol as Planned Parenthood calls for Murkowski s No vote on SCOTUS pick ARIZONA Monday, August 13 Older Americans and the ACA Press Conference in Phoenix On Monday, Arizona health care voters continued the Save Our Care tour at a press conference discussing the impact of ACA sabotage on older Arizonans. Tory Roburg, Executive Director of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, and Dr. Hiral Tipirneni spoke about the elimination of the expansion of Arizona s AHCCCs program, the weakening of protections for pre-existing conditions, and the threat of an age tax. Thursday, August 16 Kids and Pre Ex Press Conference in Phoenix On Thursday, Arizona health care voters joined U.S. Congressman Ruben Gallego, State Rep. Kelli Butler, and Arizonan Allison Lefebvre in the Rose Garden at the Arizona State Capitol to spread awareness of the imminent dangers facing families whose children have pre-existing conditions, posing threats to the accessibility and affordability of health coverage for Arizona children.

11 Video of the event // AZ News Media clip NEVADA Monday, August 13 Airport Send-Off for Sen. Heller in Reno On Monday, Nevadans gathered at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport to bid Senator Dean Heller farewell as he went back to Washington, D.C. Nevadans concerned about losing protections for pre-existing conditions have reached out to Senator Heller asking for a meeting and encouraging him to oppose the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court. He failed to grant them a meeting. Thursday, August 16 Kids and Pre Ex Press Conference in Las Vegas On Thursday, health care advocates with families with pre-existing conditions held a press conference to talk about what s at stake if the US Senate confirms Brett Kavanaugh for the US Supreme Court, and if Supreme Court ruling on Texas v HHS eliminates protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Video of the event // Nevada Current clip OHIO Wednesday, August 15 Kids and Pre Ex Press Conference and Roundtable in Dayton

12 On Wednesday, Protect Our Care was joined by Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw and Colleen Bowman, a mother of a child with a pre-existing condition, to discuss the current threats to children s health care if critical protections for preexisting conditions are overturned. Facebook Live // WDTN clip PENNSYLVANIA Thursday, August 16 Kids and Pre Ex Roundtable in Philadelphia On Thursday, a roundtable conversation with Rep. Dwight Evans, health policy experts from Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) and PA Health Access Network (PHAN), as well as medical professionals and members of the community, discussed the need protect children in Pennsylvania with pre-existing conditions. Participants highlighted the fact that over 640,000 Pennsylvanians below the age of 18 live with a pre-existing condition. Facebook Live TENNESSEE Thursday, August 16 Kids and Pre-Ex Roundtable in Nashville On Thursday, five Nashville-area parents participated in a roundtable discussion to discuss the necessity of pre-existing conditions for their kids. The parents asked Senators Alexander and Corker to stand up against attacks on these protections. Over 2.7 million Tennesseans have pre-existing conditions, including roughly 355,000 Tennesseans under age 18.

13 Facebook Live // WSMV clip WEST VIRGINIA Friday, August 17 Tele-Town Hall On Friday afternoon, Protect Our Care and West Virginian Partnership for Elder Living hosted a tele-town hall on the ACA, discussing what s at stake for older West Virginians living with pre-existing conditions, how to fight back on healthcare sabotage efforts, and what the SCOTUS nomination would mean for the health care of older Americans. Facebook Live SOCIAL MEDIA SAMPLING This week s states social media sampling can be found here. Local Headlines Check out what coverage health care received in local areas nationwide. Below are some highlights: Missouri Ozarks First: Pre-Existing Conditions Coverage Hot Topic In Missouri Senate Race Sen. Claire McCaskill in St. Louis American: People With Pre-Existing Conditions Deserve Quality Healthcare Montana Billings Gazette op-ed: What Insurance Rates Don t Tell Us North Dakota Grand Forks Herald: Heitkamp Blasts State Leaders For Joining In Affordable Care Act Lawsuit KSFY: Group Warns Dakotans With Pre-Existing Conditions Are At Risk Sen. Heidi Heitkamp for Bismarck Tribune: Affordable, Accessible Health Care Essential Ohio Cleveland Plain Dealer: For The First Time In Years, Health Care May Be A Winning Issue For Democrats

14 Oklahoma The Oklahoman: As Oklahoma Implements Medicaid Work Requirements, Public Asked To Chime In Pennsylvania LancasterOnline: GOP Boosts Junk Insurance Plans To Sabotage The ACA Philadelphia Inquirer: Even After Political Assaults, Obamacare Looking Much Healthier Tennessee The Tennessee Tribune: Tennesseans With Medical Needs Don't Want Kavanaugh On High Court Virginia The Daily Progress: Charlottesville Couple's Long-Shot Health Care Lawsuit Takes Aim At White House In Case You Missed It The Urban Institute released a new poll on health care trends. Among its key findings: Pre-existing Condition Protections Are Overwhelmingly Popular percent of those polled did not support allowing insurance companies to exclude people with pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes or cancer. [Urban Institute, 8/16/18] Americans Do Not Like Junk Plans Percent of those polled did not support shifting healthy people to less comprehensive plans with lower premiums while leaving sick people in more comprehensive plans with higher premiums. [Urban Institute, 8/16/18] The Center for American Progress released an analysis of how Medicaid cuts could threaten public students and teachers in every state: How Medicaid Cuts Could Threaten Public School Students And Teachers In Every State. [Center for American Progress, 8/14/18] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report that explains how partial Medicaid expansion falls short of full Medicaid expansion with respect to coverage and access to care: Partial Medicaid Expansion Falls Short Of Full Medicaid Expansion With Respect To Coverage And Access To Care. [Center on Budget And Policy Priorities, 8/13/18]