Congressional challenger Renee Ellmers has moved to the right of many congressional Republicans on health insurance coverage.
In an interview with the Clayton News-Star, Ellmers said she is opposed to requiring coverage of pre-existing conditions or maternity care, and that constituents should make buying health insurance a “priority” in their household budgets.
Ellmers, a nurse from Dunn, told the Clayton News-Star that companies should not have to cover people with pre-existing conditions – a situation that has denied coverage to patients with conditions ranging from cancer to pregnancy.
“Let the private insurance companies decide how they’re going to handle the pre-existing conditions situation,” she told the News-Star.
Ellmers’ views run counter to what many Republicans in Congress have said: Even though they don’t like the new health care overhaul, they would enact a clause requiring companies to cover pre-existing conditions, at least for patients who already have prior coverage.
In the Clayton interview, Ellmers also questioned whether health insurance companies should have to cover prenatal care and delivery.
“Maternity coverage – that’s another one. … Should you have to pay for someone else’s [maternity care]? Maybe you’ve decided you’ve had your children, or maybe we have a 35-year-old female who’s had a hysterectomy. Should she have to pay maternity coverage? Maternity coverage is very costly,” Ellmers said to the paper.
That view echoes those of some congressional Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, who said at a Senate hearing last year: “I don't need maternity care and so requiring that to be in my insurance policy is something that I don't need and will make the policy more expensive.”
Ellmers also said that paying for health care should be a “priority” in patients’ lives.
“I wish everybody could afford health insurance, but it’s got to be a priority in your life,” she told the News-Star.
Ellmers is challenging incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge in the 2nd Congressional District.
Comments
I think it is Bob Etheridge that should be fired..
October 3, 2010 - 5:00pm — mary77He had town hall meetings with people screaming at him to vote no to ObamaCare, and he did it anyway.
He voted to make it a federal law that you have to have health insurance, or else be fined. He voted to make it a federal law that if you have too little insurance, you will be fined. If you have too much health insurance, you will be fined.
Oh yes, if you do not pay this fine, you go to jail.
I want health choices, not the federal gov't mandated what I need to be covered, or not covered for (ie-I do not want to pay for a weight reduction program, but would like to buy coverage for chemotherapy, or the right NOT to have health insurance).
We need to figure out ways to lower costs for health care. But going after the insurance companies will not do it.
Ellmers is not fit to serve North Carolina
October 1, 2010 - 10:03am — MalleusMaleficarumRenee Ellmers does not have a large enough knowledge base to serve the people. Her recent appearance on CNN where she was interviewed by Anderson Sheppard was pathetic. She accused Sheppard of being anti-Christian, and he retorted, "That's the lowest comment I have ever heard from a candidate." Ellmers is a joke, a farce that is being played on the people of North Carolina. She should move to Alaska where she could shoot moose with Sarah Palin, another nincompoop.
Absolutely!
September 30, 2010 - 4:18pm — SonofWSIt makes perfect sense to let the fox manage the hen house!