On the recordOctober 29, 2019
it is my honor to come to the floor to speak on an issue that is important for so many Americans. Let me start at the outset--before I move to unanimous consent on a specific piece of legislation--by saying that I believe that the change in the Affordable Care Act, which prohibited discrimination against people because of preexisting conditions, is one of the most fundamental changes in health insurance in America. Who among us doesn't have a member of their family or a friend with a preexisting condition? There was a time, of course, when because of that, people were denied any coverage or charged exorbitant amounts of money. Overwhelmingly, we understand that if we are going to have a health insurance system that really serves the entire Nation, we cannot allow health insurance companies to pick and choose. Prior to the Affordable Care Act's passage in 2010, health insurers used to charge people with preexisting conditions higher monthly premiums or simply deny them coverage all together. Health insurance companies used to impose annual lifetime caps on what they could pay for.…





