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Murphy Statement on Federal Ruling Regarding Health Care Law

Statement

Date: Jan. 31, 2011
Location: New Britain, CT
Issues: Health and Health Care

Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) released the following statement on today's court ruling regarding the new health care law.

"Dismantling the health insurance reform law is not an option for the thousands of businesses and families across Connecticut who can't afford our current system. Behind all the rhetoric surrounding this issue are real people, who have a loved one suffering without care, or who are helpless to watch their small business crumble under the weight of providing insurance to their employees. Those are the people I stood up for when I voted for this law, and one judge's opinion isn't going to change why our nation so desperately needed health insurance reform."

In Connecticut, repealing the new law would have significant consequences, including:

*· Allowing insurance companies to deny coverage to as many as 312,000 individuals, including as many as 39,000 children, with pre-existing conditions. These individuals include those who are breast cancer survivors and prostate cancer survivors; those living with heart disease; and those with such conditions as asthma and high blood pressure;

*· Taking away the ability of 1,700 young adults who have chosen to or are expected to stay on their parents' insurance plan until their 26th birthday;

*· Taking away the 50% discount on brand-name Rx drugs from 9,300 seniors who hit the Medicare Part D "donut hole;' and denying free preventive care services under Medicare to 109,000 seniors;

*· Eliminating health care tax credits available for up to 16,900 small businesses;

*· Eliminating the ban on insurers dropping people from coverage when they get sick, which protects 33,000 individuals who purchase individual health insurance;

*· Getting rid of the ban on insurers placing lifetime limits on coverage, which is currently benefiting 480,000 individuals who have health insurance through their employer or in the private insurance market; and

*· Increasing the costs of coverage for up to 9,700 early retirees.


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