I’ve been on planes today. This morning, Gov. Romney seemed to make the case that he was in favor of preventing people from being turned down for pre-existing conditions. While he was specifically referencing people who maintained continuous coverage, it was interesting to see him stake out a position. I won’t go into the fact that without the other two legs of the stool, this falls apart, because others have done it.
But then when I got to my hotel*, I saw this:
In reference to how Romney would deal with those with preexisting conditions and young adults who want to remain on their parents’ plans, a Romney aide responded that there had been no change in Romney’s position and that “in a competitive environment, the marketplace will make available plans that include coverage for what there is demand for. He was not proposing a federal mandate to require insurance plans to offer those particular features.”
Really? What this aide is describing is the current market for health insurance. It’s not that we don’t have a competitive environment. It’s that covering people with pre-existing conditions is a money-loser for insurance companies unless they charge people exorbitant rates that no one can afford.
Gov. Romney knows this. It’s why he wound up with Romneycare. It would be great if the media could pin him down on some of these things.
*It’s actually a bed and breakfast. It’s really trying my antisocial tendencies.
UPDATE: Now they’re walking back the walk-back. Hey media people, this would be a great time to get some clarification.
