It all boils down to this, coverage for preexisting conditions is, by definition, NOT insurance!! I don’t know exactly what to call it but it is actually impossible to write insurance to cover preexisting conditions because once you do you are not writing insurance.
Most Americans fail to understand the difference between health coverage and health insurance.
Something that covers a pre-existing condition is health coverage.
I understand the argument but it isn't quite that simple.
What about someone who maintained insurance via their employer throughout their adult life. Suppose during that time they contracted a chronic disease. They then end up in a situation where they have to go to the individual market to purchase insurance.
I maintain that they did everything they should have and had something bad befall them - exactly the circumstance that insurance is intended for.
Without protections for pre-existing conditions they won't be able to get coverage.
“It all boils down to this, coverage for preexisting conditions is, by definition, NOT insurance!!”
That is a red herring argument or no argument at all. The coverage for pre-existing conditions is a benefit of the plan, just like eyeglasses every two years might be part of a vision insurance plan whether or not your vision is bad when you sign up. Insurance of all kinds includes analogous benefits, such as crop insurance purchased when the weather is already turning bad (ok). Is the health club membership included with my medical insurance technically “insurance”? Probably not, but who cares? It is an extended benefit which the insurer chooses to offer.
The Republicans better figure out to do it if they want the issue because mandating that health insurance plans cover preexisting conditions is what people want.