Heidi Alexander: “I know it is Halloween, and it is time for trick or treat, but I urge my colleagues not to be tricked by this scary…”

“I know it is Halloween, and it is time for trick or treat, but I urge my colleagues not to be tricked by this scary fairytale dreamed up by the Democrats that would suggest that the section 1332 waiver that give States more flexibility, which they wrote, somehow jeopardizes protections for people with preexisting health conditions, which they also wrote. Both are in the 2010 ObamaCare law. Preexisting health conditions are protected. The law says so. The law does not allow any 1332 waiver, which is the subject of what we are voting on in a few minutes, to change that. Twelve States have had their 1332 waivers approved by the Trump administration, and in no case did it affect preexisting conditions. Seema Verma, who has to approve all of these waiver applications from the Department of Health and Human Services, says the law doesn't permit any change in preexisting condition protections, and if somehow a waiver asked for it, she would not approve it. What my Democratic friends are voting for today is to take away a tool from States that has been used to reduce rates by 43 percent in Maryland, 20 percent in Minnesota, and 15 percent in New Jersey. It has been used in Hawaii, Wisconsin, Colorado, Minnesota, Delaware, Rhode Island, Alaska, and North Dakota. Why would you take away a flexibility option that you wrote to give your own voters lower health insurance rates? I know it is Halloween, but don't be tricked. Don't believe this scary fairytale.…”