DeLaney sees House GOP reject plans to protect health care for all Hoosiers

INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) has seen two efforts to provide affordable health care for Hoosiers turned away by Indiana House Republicans.

DeLaney’s proposals would have prevented Indiana’s attorney general from using any state funds in efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and would have developed a plan to import prescription drugs from Canada to reduce costs for Hoosiers. The first proposal was defeated on a party-line vote, while House Republicans refused to allow debate or a vote on the second proposal.

“While I was pleased to see bipartisan support for my proposal to make sure that all insurance plans in Indiana  include coverage for pre-existing conditions, there are still many facets of health care coverage that require our attention,” said DeLaney, who was instrumental in helping House Democrats get pre-existing coverage included in the state budget plan approved in the House earlier this session (House Bill 1001).

“The attorney general seems determined to gut the Affordable Care Act, even though it provides coverage for hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers and there is no reasonable alternative if the ACA is eliminated,” he continued. “This session, I have attempted to prevent the Attorney General from undermining a law that provides access to health care for hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers. Unfortunately, the House Republicans do not agree.”

DeLaney’s second amendment would have called for the Indiana State Department of Health to develop a plan to import low-cost pharmaceutical drugs from Canada to Indiana. The plan would have been submitted for legislative consideration in 2020, with the program scheduled to start in 2022.

“Canada is often looked to as a viable alternative for affordable prescription drug prices because they place a cap on drug prices,” DeLaney said. “Of course, the best course of action would be for our federal government to find out how to manage these costs. Until that logical step takes place, we should find other ways to provide more cost-effective options for the drugs needed to keep people healthy here in Indiana.

“Lawmakers haven’t paid much attention to these issues this session, but they remain a major concern for the people of Indiana, and we must take the steps needed to protect their access to health care,” he concluded.