Colorado Senator Cory Gardner apparently supports a decision last week by a federal judge striking down the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Asked yesterday by a KOA radio host if he agrees with Texas judge, Gardner indicated he supports the ruling, but he wants Congress to pass a law guaranteeing protections for pre-existing conditions “as we have said we will do and we’ll continue to work to do.”
GARDNER: Well, this is going to take some time to work through the system. The status quo remains in place. Nothing changes as this decision will be appealed, most likely all the way to the Supreme Court.
What has to happen: Congress needs to guarantee protections for pre-existing conditions, as we have said we will do and we’ll continue to work to do. But we also have to find a[n] approach that fixes what’s wrong with Obamacare, because it has led to hundreds of thousands of people who had their health insurance plans canceled, and higher costs.
So, let’s create a system that allows people to buy the insurance they want at a price they can afford.
Gardner voted for three senate bills that would have killed Obamacare, but they failed to pass, the last one going down with the thumb of former U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona. All would have raised health-insurance premiums and made people lose their health insurance.
Gardner has not come forward with a specific plan that, as he puts it, “allows people to buy the insurance they want at a price they can afford.”
Gardner also supported the Trump tax bill, which became law, and eliminated the requirement that Americans buy health insurance or pay a fine.
For years, Gardner has repeatedly said that people had their insurance plans cancelled under Obamacare, including himself.
In truth, the old plans, like his, did not meet the requirements of Obamacare, such as free preventative care and coverage of pre-existing conditions and children, so folks with substandard plans were directed to sign up for compliant coverage. Everyone was offered a new plan; they were not thrown off the rolls.
Like the senate bills supported by Gardner, a court decision to end Obamacare would have wide consequences, including Medicare coverage.
The death of Obamacare would throw millions of people of the country’s health insurance rolls, according to multiple analysis.
Listen to Gardner on 850-KOA here: