Recently, Gov. Scott Walker and Lieut. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch have been in the news and on campaign ads claiming that they will protect people with “pre-existing conditions.” We thought it was important to have a clear explanation of what they really mean by that assertion.

Walker’s declaration that he would protect people with pre-existing conditions from discrimination is in sharp contrast to his actual record as governor, raising the specter that he is deliberately misleading voters in order to deflect a major campaign issue. According to the Associated Press last week, “Gov. Scott Walker pledged Friday to ensure those with pre-existing conditions would be covered in Wisconsin if the Affordable Care Act were repealed.” However, Walker’s actions on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and his record as governor, stand in sharp contrast to this pledge. Approximately 2.4 million Wisconsinites have a health condition that could be designated a “pre-existing condition” by insurance companies.

Walker has repeatedly called for the unconditional repeal of the ACA over the last eight years, without any direction to Congress to continue to outlaw pre-existing condition discrimination. Walker recently authorized Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel to join a Texas lawsuit that would, if successful, strike down the pre-existing conditions protections in the ACA, finding them to be beyond the powers of the federal government. He has repeatedly and strongly supported repealing (and striking down) the entire ACA—including its prohibitions on discrimination against people with health conditions.

The outlawed insurance company practices include denial of coverage, revoking coverage after a patient is diagnosed with a serious illness, charging excessive rates that price people out of coverage and annual or lifetime limits. Walker would also repeal the ACA’s large tax credits which make coverage much more affordable for people with serious health conditions who are unable to work and have to purchase insurance on their own.

Furthermore, during the congressional debate over ACA repeal last year, Walker floated the idea of allowing insurance companies to charge higher rates to people with pre-existing conditions. He also proposed that Wisconsin allow discrimination and go back to the days when only patients who have enough money to afford an expensive high-risk pool could get insurance coverage on their own. The policies were inferior to the coverage guaranteed by the ACA. For example, Wisconsin high-risk pool plans had lifetime limits, which is another way to discriminate against people with cancer and other serious diseases.

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The stated basis for Walker’s pre-existing conditions “pledge” is a bill he once touted in a state-of-the-state address, but which has not been acted on by Wisconsin lawmakers. Walker falsely claims it would prevent insurance companies from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions should the governor’s desire to see the ACA repealed or struck down ever come to pass. To the contrary, the bill would allow health insurance companies to trample on the rights of people with health conditions by charging exorbitant rates to anyone who has a gap in coverage. This provision would, in practice, re-legalize discrimination against people with health conditions who lose their insurance. This happens often to people with serious illnesses such as cancer who are unable to work and do not have the resources to pay high insurance premiums.

Given the literal life-and-death importance of the issue, it is vitally important that voters know where candidates stand on pre-existing condition discrimination. Walker owes it to the people of Wisconsin to renounce his previous positions and explain exactly how he will guarantee that Wisconsin never goes back to the days when it was legal for insurance companies to discriminate based on health conditions.

Robert Kraig is the executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin.