Pre-Existing Conditions, Preserving ACA Important to VA Voters
RICHMOND, Va. – As midterm elections approach, health care is proving to be a major issue on voters’ minds, in Virginia and around the country – especially the rights of people with pre-existing conditions.
About 27 percent of Americans ages 18 to 64 have some kind of pre-existing health condition, such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Polling suggests voters want to be sure their insurance continues to offer those protections under the Affordable Care Act.
Linda Mensah is the president of the small management consulting company – C&L Catalyst, LLC – in Virginia. She agrees with the poll, and says she’s worked with a number of people whose children were born with health issues beyond their control.
“You know, it could be a life and death situation,” says Mensah. “That is not something that you want to be concerned – someone telling you, ‘You’re not covered’ – when it should be covered.”
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found 75 percent of those surveyed say it’s “very important” that the ACA continues to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions under current law.
Mensah says the ACA’s coverage for pre-existing conditions is the best way to ensure that everyone has health insurance. She says she expects nothing less from one of the most advanced countries in the world.
“It’s not a negotiation thing,” says Mensah. “It’s not – really, should not even be political, because this is dealing with people’s lives. Who are we, as human beings, to determine who lives and who dies? That sounds so – oh, crazy to me.”
Kaiser polling shows Americans across the political spectrum support pre-existing condition protections. That includes 86 percent of Democrats, 75 percent of Independents, and 58 percent of Republicans.
