Some Delaware Republicans in the General Assembly love Obamacare!! Even two downstate Republican Senators! The Senate passed SB35, a bill that would preserve the consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, into state law. Specifically, this bill would make it illegal in Delaware for insurance companies to deny coverage of their insureds or applicants based on a preexisting condition, based on lifetime or yearly caps, or based on the insured’s credit rating.
The vote was 16-5, with four Republican Senators joining all the Democrats in voting yes. The votes of Senators Cathy Cloutier and Anthony Delcollo on liberal or Democratic bills are now expected, as both are on the defensive against Democratic electorates in their districts that could be primed to oust them in 2020. Senator Lopez, too, represents a more liberal to moderate area of Sussex County, though he would not face reelection until 2022. The yes vote of Senator Bryant Richardson is the true surprise at least to me.
Sen. Trey Paradee, the bill’s prime sponsor, made the following statement:
“While healthcare policy will continue to evolve, key provisions in the Affordable Care Act aren’t just popular, they are necessary. Protections for people with preexisting conditions and other consumer safeguards save lives and it is important that these parts of the ACA are shielded from the toxic partisanship of D.C. politics.In light of recent challenges to the ACA, this bill could not be more timely. It sets up a mechanism that would kick in if all or part of the law were repealed. That mechanism would keep the consumer protections of the ACA in place and provide critically needed continuity of care for countless Delawareans.”
Where is the bill? Senate Banking, Business & Insurance 3/12/19
Democratic Sponsors – Paradee, Bush, Ennis, Poore, Sokola, Brady, Heffernan, Kowalko
Republican Sponsors –
Yes Votes – Brown, Cloutier, Delcollo, Ennis, Hansen, Lockman, Lopez, McBride, McDowell, Paradee, Poore, Richardson, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh
No Votes – Bonini, Hocker, Lason, Pettyjohn, Wilson
Interesting to say the least, and a good indicator of just how important healthcare is to a great many Americans, as noted it’s the electorate driving the votes of these Republicans. The Republicans are rightly scared of dealing with healthcare as they truly suck at it and have no plan and no answers. That and we’re approaching the point where the whole thing falls of it’s own weight. Medicare For All, it’s the least we can do.