Steve Dettelbach, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, says on his first day in office he would have Ohio join a lawsuit to protect the Affordable Care Act. Dettelbach says this would be the best way to defend coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Twenty states have so far joined a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the ACA, also known as Obamacare. Dettelbach says he wants Ohio to join the 17 states fighting that lawsuit.
“It would repeal the protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions, including nearly 5 million people who live in Ohio,” Dettelbach says. “And where is Mike DeWine?”
DeWine sued against the ACA on his first day as attorney general in 2011. If the ACA were overturned, it would make it more difficult for people with pre-existing conditions to get health care.
Now, as the Republican nominee for governor, DeWine says he’s for protecting pre-existing conditions but says no other state has filed a brief specifically on that.
The campaign for Dave Yost, Dettelbach's Republican opponent, says the ACA is the law of the land and supports pre-existing condition protections. But he says the lawsuit has become a partisan issue and doesn't plan to join either side.
