Issue Position: Health Care

Issue Position

End Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions
As small businesses stop providing health care, pre-existing condition exclusions are a significant impediment towards individuals acquiring care. A new study by the Department of Health and Human Services found that 36% of individuals who attempted to obtain individual health insurance coverage were discriminated against due to their pre-existing condition. I have seen the effects of this with my clients who need to seek insurance after a divorce or a car accident which occurred through no fault of their own.

Properly Fund Medicaid
MedicaidMedicaid is our federal-state health insurance program for low-income persons. Most of Virginia's Medicaid recipients are children, the elderly, and blind or disabled persons. Despite being a relatively wealthy state, Virginia has one of the most restrictive Medicaid programs in the United States ranking 48th of 51.

Virginia has also repeatedly cut Medicaid reimbursements to the point where most doctors will not accept Medicaid and hospitals are forced to push unfunded costs back on to private insurance patients. Virginia must do better.

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