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Happening in the States: Dem Govs Preserving Health Coverage

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While the Trump administration continues to try to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, Democratic governors around the country are rolling up their sleeves and fighting back. Here are a few of the ways that governors have been fighting in their states to expand health coverage, maintain the protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and stabilize markets to bring down costs.


Here are a few of the ways Democratic governors are preserving protections and improving coverage for people in their states:

  • Rhode Island: Gov. Gina Raimondo has called for a state-level law that will enshrine the ACA’s consumer protections. She has also signed a reinsurance law that stems the rising health care premiums.
  • California: Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a plan to reinstate the ACA’s individual mandate to stabilize his state’s exchange. He also signed an executive order that empowers the California’s Department of Health Care Services to negotiate drug prices, lowering overall costs in Medi-Cal.
  • Colorado: Gov. Jared Polis introduced a reinsurance plan to bring down premiums by stabilizing the health care market.
  • Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker joined Illinois with the lawsuit challenging the federal judge’s ruling in Texas against the ACA.
  • Kansas: Gov. Laura Kelly is leading a bipartisan coalition fighting to expand Medicaid in the state after her predecessor vetoed similar legislation.
  • Maine: Gov. Janet Mills signed a law enshrining the ACA’s consumer protections into state law.
  • Michigan: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer directed Michigan to join the lawsuit challenging the federal judge’s ruling against the ACA. She also proposed a reinsurance program during her campaign last year.
  • Minnesota: Gov. Tim Walz proposed the “ONECare Minnesota” plan that will give Minnesotans a public option on their individual market.
  • Montana: Gov. Steve Bullock convened a working group to develop a reinsurance policy to curb rising health care premiums.
  • Nevada: Gov. Steve Sisolak has promised to sign a bill protecting people with pre-existing conditions that is working its way through the state legislature. He also directed the state’s attorney general to join the legal challenge of the Texas federal judge’s decision.
  • New Jersey: Gov. Phil Murphy announced that New Jersey will transition to a state-based exchange in 2021. He also proposed legislation that will codify the consumer protections from the ACA into state law.
  • New Mexico: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced she was reversing the previous administration’s restrictions on Medicaid, removing co-pays and premiums for certain recipients.
  • New York: Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed legislation to enshrine the ACA’s consumer protections into state law.
  • Oregon: Gov. Kate Brown signed a law to ensure the sustainability of the state’s Medicaid program.
  • Pennsylvania: Gov. Tom Wolf vowed that he would not seek a waiver under the federal government’s proposed rules that would allow junk insurance plans back into the marketplace.
  • Washington: Gov. Jay Inslee introduced legislation that would create a public option through the state’s Health Benefit Exchange.
  • Wisconsin: Gov. Tony Evers pulled his state lawsuit challenging the ACA, and signed an executive order to work toward protecting people with pre-existing conditions at the state level. He has also instructed his administration to look for ways to expand Medicaid coverage.