12-17-2018
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Following a federal judge’s ruling that the Affordable Care Act should be invalidated since Congress removed the individual mandate penalty, the Washington State Insurance Commissioner is speaking out.
Commissioner Mike Kreidler calls the ruling “cruel” and says it “literally threatens the lives of many,” since it may mean people with preexisting conditions such as cancer couldn’t get insurance, while others may not be able to find plans to cover their medications.
He says he will work with state and congressional partners to fight the decision and make sure Americans don’t lose protections provided by Obamacare.
In his ruling, the Texas judge reasoned that the body of the Obamacare law could not be separated from its now-meaningless requirement for people to have health insurance.