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Politics

Disability Rights Groups Oppose Obamacare Repeal

The HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptop screen in Washington, Feb. 9, 2017.
Associated Press
The HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptop screen in Washington, Feb. 9, 2017.
Disability Rights Groups Oppose Obamacare Repeal
The disabled rights community fears the GOP plan to repeal Obamacare could eliminate some vital protections.

As Republicans in the House unveil details of a plan for repealing Obamacare, opposition continues to mount.

Disability rights groups have been adding their voices to the mix.

Advocates for people with disabilities say the Affordable Care Act has improved access and has made it easier for people with disabilities to live independently.

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What's more, they say, Obamacare has introduced some vital protections.

For example, insurers can’t discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. Health plans can’t impose yearly or lifetime limits on coverage, either.

Marilyn Golden, senior policy analyst with the nonprofit Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, said the GOP plan could be disastrous.

“We’re fearful that the plan will mean less coverage, weaker protections and higher costs," she said.

Golden says the disabled community is also against the idea of turning Medicaid into a block grant program. She said that would likely mean less money for health care.

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