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Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) slammed House Democrats today for bringing legislation titled the Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act to a vote when the legislation does not address pre-existing conditions. Instead, the legislation would hinder the ability of states to lower premiums for Americans across the country. 

On the floor, Carter said, "I rise today in opposition to the so-called 'Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act.' Mr. Speaker, this is a misnomer. A misnomer is defined as a wrong or inaccurate name or designation. And that is what the title of this bill is. It is wrong.

"I joined my colleagues on the Republican side in supporting protections for people with pre-conditions – in fact, it was one of the first votes in Congress that we took this year and it was defeated by my colleagues across the aisle.

"This bill, which is ironically misnamed, as I say, because it doesn’t actually protect pre-existing conditions, would take steps to actually roll-back state efforts to innovate and lower premiums for Americans across the country."



Full Text of Carter's Floor Speech:

I rise today in opposition to the so-called “Protecting Americans with Pre-existing Conditions Act.”

Mr. Speaker, this is a misnomer. 

A misnomer is defined as a wrong or inaccurate name or designation. And that is what the title of this bill is. It is wrong.

I joined my colleagues on the Republican side in supporting protections for people with pre-conditions – in fact, it was one of the first votes in Congress that we took this year and it was defeated by my colleagues across the aisle.

This bill, which is ironically misnamed, as I say, because it doesn’t actually protect pre-existing conditions, would take steps to actually roll-back state efforts to innovate and lower premiums for Americans across the country.

One issue I often hear from my constituents about is the cost of health care coverage and the lack of options available under Obamacare.

These waivers would allow for new strategies to address high premiums that so many people are facing.

In fact, of the states that created their own reinsurance programs, they saw on average a nearly 20% drop in premiums with one state seeing a drop as high as 43.4%.

As states continue to grapple with high insurance costs, they have looked to these innovation waivers for opportunities to bring about new ideas that help people, not remove options and opportunities.

We all know that there is an issue with affordability of insurance in many areas.

And it should be known that this isn’t as though it’s just more conservative states moving forward with these reinsurance programs.

States like New Jersey, where the chairman is from, Minnesota, and Maryland have seen the benefits of this.

That’s why I urge my colleagues to give states the flexibility they need to reduce premiums and to vote no on this legislation.