U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, continues to speak out against a lawsuit Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley has joined challenging the Affordable Care Act. During a Tuesday roundtable in St. Louis with those who have pre-existing medical conditions, McCaskill says the lawsuit aims to wipe out pre-existing condition protections, resulting in economic consequences.
“Cutting people off from insurance and making it harder for people to get insurance, we’re all still gonna pay the bill because in America we’re not going to stop people at the door at the emergency room and I’m sorry you don’t have health insurance, we’re gonna let you die.” says McCaskill. “If we’re going to take care of everyone who shows up, then we’ve got to figure out a way to take care of them that makes the most financial sense.”
When Hawley joined the 19 other states in his legal action, he said that he would “fight to take health care choices out of the hands of DC bureaucrats and put them in the hands of families and physicians.” Hawley, who is McCaskill’s Republican opponent in the November election, says he supports protecting pre-existing health conditions but wants Congress to replace the Affordable Care Act law. Hawley says he blames Obamacare for individual healthcare premiums increasing by 105%.
During a Farm Bureau forum in Jefferson City on Friday, McCaskill and Hawley clashed over this very issue. America’s healthcare laws and U.S. Supreme Court nominees are two of the leading issues in the race that is considered one of the most-watched in the nation. The U.S. Senate candidate chosen by Missourians will be critical in determining which party holds control of the upper chamber in Congress.
Jill Enders contributed to this story.
