September 15, 2020
When it comes to protecting their health care coverage, Coloradans shouldn’t get conned by Cory.
Cory Gardner introduced a bill he claims would protect Coloradans’ health care, but experts say it would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and is a political stunt.
Regardless of what Gardner says now, his record is clear. Gardner has repeatedly opposed protecting insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. He has said pre-existing medical conditions should not be required to be covered in health care reform, has voted repeatedly to gut those protections, and has taken over $1.1 million in campaign donations from drug and insurance companies. Gardner is even still supporting the lawsuit that could eliminate coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
Get the facts:
Cory Gardner introduced a bill he claims would protect Coloradans’ health care, but experts say it would allow insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and is a political stunt.
- Gardner’s bill “would still allow health insurance companies to deny people coverage.” – Colorado Sun
- Kaiser Family Foundation’s Larry Levitt: “Gardner falls well short of providing comprehensive protections for people with pre-existing conditions.” – 9News
- 9News’ Kyle Clark called the bill “actually horse excrement.” – 9News
- Colorado Consumer Health Initiative’s Adam Fox called the bill “a political stunt.” – Colorado Times Recorder
- Gardner received “Four Pinnochios” for his claims of protecting pre-existing conditions. – Washington Post Fact Checker
Regardless of what Gardner says now, his record is clear. Gardner has repeatedly opposed protecting insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
- Gardner repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
- “Gardner has been voting to repeal, defund or replace the ACA since 2011, the year after its passage” and he received “Four Pinnochios” for his claims of protecting pre-existing conditions. – Washington Post Fact Checker
- “PolitiFact has repeatedly determined that a vote to repeal the ACA in full would have stripped coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.” – PolitiFact
He has said pre-existing medical conditions should not be required to be covered in health care reform and has voted repeatedly to gut those protections.
- In 2010, Gardner answered “no” when asked whether coverage for pre-existing conditions should be covered in any health care reform.
- “Gardner has been voting to repeal, defund or replace the ACA since 2011, the year after its passage” and he received “Four Pinnochios” for his claims of protecting pre-existing conditions. – Washington Post Fact Checker
- “PolitiFact has repeatedly determined that a vote to repeal the ACA in full would have stripped coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.” – PolitiFact
Gardner has taken over $1.1 million in campaign donations from drug and insurance companies.
- Over his career, Gardner has taken almost $547,000 in campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies. – Center for Responsive Politics
- Over his career, Gardner has taken almost $554,000 in campaign contributions from the insurance industry. – Center for Responsive Politics
Gardner is even still supporting the lawsuit that could eliminate coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
- Gardner when asked if he supported the lawsuit to repeal the Affordable Care Act called it “an unconstitutional law.” – The Hill
- Gardner’s comments about the lawsuit to repeal the ACA can be interpreted as “tacit support.” – Washington Post Fact Checker
- If the Trump Administration’s lawsuit was successful, millions “could be charged more or denied coverage altogether because they have a pre-existing condition or would lose other important protections.” – Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- If the Affordable Care Act were struck down, “people with preexisting conditions will once again face discrimination from insurance companies.” – Center for American Progress