Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 6-22-18

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Congresswoman, Activists Blast Governor Rick Scott On Pre-Existing Illnesses
On Monday at a press con- ference, U. S. Congress- woman Kathy Castor was joined by former State Sen- ator Arthenia Joyner, Olivia Babis, and activist Karen Clay to call out Gov. Rick Scott’s refusal to stand up to the Trump adminis- tration’s attacks on protec- tions for those with pre-existing conditions.
“We are here to tell Rick Scott to stop his assault on affordable healthcare. We’ve learned in the past two weeks that the Trump administra- tion wants to toss protections for pre-existing conditions out the window.
“What they couldn’t do through law, they’re doing through the courts,” Con- gresswoman Kathy Cas- tor said.
“We need to know who is on our side in the fight for
Congresswoman Kathy Castor
high-quality affordable healthcare, and it is clear that Rick Scott is not. Simply put, Scott’s long record of working to dismantle protec-
Former State Senator Arthenia Joyner
tions for those with pre-ex- isting conditions doesn’t match his new rhetoric.”
Joyner said, “Before Rick Scott ran for public of-
fice, he was best known for his massive fraud case, where he over-billed Medicare. But Scott never learned, and never changed.
“Republicans like Trump and Scott want to give free reign to the insur- ance companies to reject those with pre-existing con- ditions. Diabetes, high cho- lesterol, you name it --- these people will not be able to get affordable coverage if Scott and the Republicans have their way. That is why elections matter,” she con-
cluded.
Ms. Olivia Babis said,
“As someone who has had to contend with a pre-existing condition my entire life, the pre-existing clause is ex- tremely important to me. There are even times where I had to forgo treatment be- cause I did not have the in-
surance policies that I needed.
“We need to build off the Affordable Care Act, not tear it down. It is disheartening that Florida has joined in a lawsuit to attack the ACA, when you have millions of people with pre-existing conditions who would be im- pacted.”
Ms. Karen Clay said, “We are here to ask Rick Scott, ‘where do you stand on pre-existing conditions?’
“When members of the disability caucus asked him that question last week, we were met with silence. Rick Scott is no friend of the dis- abled and those with pre-ex- isting conditions. Rick Scott and the current ad- ministration have failed countless Floridians who de- pend on quality, affordable healthcare.”
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