Troy Balderson’s “Un-Healthy” Campaign for Congress

Health care has continued to drive the policy debate and political conversation in Ohio and in Washington, with costs and
coverage remaining top priorities for the American people. This summer, polls from the ​Kaiser​ ​Family​ ​Foundation​, ​NBC
News​ and ​CBS News​ found that health care outranked jobs and economy as the most important issue. In addition, a
recent Public Policy Polling ​poll​ of voters in OH-12 found that health care is the most important or a very important issue
for 69 percent of voters, including 55 percent of independents.

But rather than listening to his constituents, sticking up for health care protections for Ohioans and working to lower costs,
Representative Troy Balderson has advocated weakening protections for people with pre-existing conditions and
restricting access to Medicaid, both of which would drive up health care costs.

Like many of the pro-repeal Republicans running in competitive districts this cycle, Troy Balderson has tried to duck and
cover from his own record of working to take health care away from Ohioans, ​saying​ that health care providers “should not
be able to charge or deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions” despite his many calls to repeal the law that
guarantees such protections. Try as he may to hide his record on health care, Balderson has called to repeal health care,
he voted to sabotage it -- and he should own it. The following report offers more details about Troy Balderson’s record on
health care.

Troy Balderson Wants To Repeal The Affordable Care Act And Its Protections For 4.8 Million Ohioans With
Pre-existing Conditions

Balerson Campaigned On Repealing The Affordable Care Act. ​Balderson has ​said​:​ ​”As a member of Congress, I
would vote to repeal and replace Obamacare once and for all and bring true market reforms to the health care industry
that increase competition and drive down the cost of premiums for consumers.”

Balderson: “DC Republicans Ran On Repealing Obamacare, And It’s Time They Make True On Their Word,”
Balderson’s campaign ​website​ reads.

What would full repeal of the Affordable Care Act eliminate?

● Protections for 4,830,900 Ohioans, including 328,300 of Balderson’s constituents in OH-12, with pre-existing
conditions, if they buy coverage on their own
● Improvements to Medicare, including reduced costs for prescription drugs
● Allowing kids to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26
● Ban on annual and lifetime limits
● Ban on insurance discrimination against women
● Limit on out-of-pocket costs
● Medicaid expansion currently covering 15 million people

Troy Balderson Has Spent The Past Year Sabotaging Ohioans’ Health Care, Restricting Access To Medicaid As
The Opioid Epidemic Continues To Take Ohioans Lives

As A State Senator Troy Balderson Voted To Freeze Ohio’s Medicaid Expansion, Which Covers Over 700,000
Low-Income Ohioans. ​“Gov. John Kasich once again stood against fellow Republicans in the Ohio Legislature on Friday
to support Medicaid expansion, which now provides health insurance to 700,000 low-income Ohioans...Conservatives had
called on the outspoken Kasich to set a national example by leaving in place state budget provisions calling for freezing
new expansion enrollment starting July 1, 2018, and preventing those who drop off from re-enrolling. Exemptions were
written into the bill for those undergoing mental health or drug addiction treatment, but the administration said they had no
legal force.” [Cleveland Plain Dealer, ​7/1/17​; Ohio Record - p. 1027,​ 6/28/18​]

Protect Our Care | October 2018

Troy Balderson Supports Medicaid Work Requirements.​​ Balderson ​said​, “I support work requirements for able-bodied
individuals before they can utilize Medicaid and have worked to help streamline the state’s Medicaid program, saving
taxpayers over a billion dollars.”

● Restricting Access To Medicaid Threatens Lives And Impedes States’ Ability To Respond To The Opioid
Epidemic. ​Four in 10​ Americans with an opioid use disorder relies on Medicaid for access to treatment and
life-saving overdose reversal medication. Restricting access to Medicaid puts people’s lives at risk and deprives
states of funding and resources they depend on to fight the epidemic.
● Tracy Plouck, Director Of The Ohio Department Of Mental Health And Addiction Services: Medicaid Plays
Crucial Role In Combating The Opioid Epidemic.​​ ​“‘I think sustaining the Medicaid expansion in Ohio is going to
be really important in order to continue to be able to connect people to treatment, both for their immediate
withdrawal and beginning stages of treatment but then also for the longer term if they need ongoing counseling or
therapy or just access to primary care to help them continue productively as Ohio residents,’ ​said​ Tracy Plouck,
director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.”

Balderson Wants To Raise The Age Of Eligibility For Medicare And Social Security.​​ ​“On entitlements, Balderson did
not support Ohio’s Medicaid expansion and would raise the age of eligibility for Medicare and Social Security. He favors
repealing and replacing the federal health reform Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare, which he says has caused
southeast Ohio to lose physicians.” [Columbus Dispatch, ​7/8/18​]

Balderson Refuses To Oppose A Lawsuit Designed To End Protections For People With Pre-existing Conditions.
This summer, the Trump Administration refused to defend against a​ ​lawsuit​ brought by 20 conservative states aimed at
overturning the Affordable Care Act and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. In July, House Democrats
introduced a​ ​resolution​ that would authorize the General Counsel of the House of Representatives to intervene in the
lawsuit and defend protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Balderson refuses to support the resolution.

Balderson Also Refuses To Join The House Effort To Overturn Trump Administration’s Junk Plan Rule That Lets
Insurance Companies Discriminate Against People With Pre-existing Conditions. ​The Trump Administration​ recently
finalized​ a rule that allows insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. Experts warn
that this move will only increase the cost of comprehensive care, ultimately making it even harder for people with
pre-existing conditions to get the care they need. House Democrats​ ​introduced​ legislation that would override Trump’s
rule, but Balderson has not signed on.

Now, Ohioans Are Paying For His Actions

The Number Of Uninsured Ohioans Increased By 42,000 Between 2016 And 2017.​​ A survey released by the ​Census
Bureau​ found that Ohio’s uninsured rate increased by 0.3 percent between 2016 and 2017.

Citing Gop Sabotage, Ohio Insurance Companies Proposed Rate Increases Averaging ​8.2 Percent​​ For 2019, And
Were Ultimately Approved To Increase Premiums By An Average Of ​6.3 Percent​​ Statewide​​.

● Loren Anthes, Cleveland-based ​Center for Community Solutions​: cut funding for outreach and navigator groups,
repeal of individual mandate, shorter open enrollment period, and expanded association health plans create
unpredictability — “That kind of unpredictability also creates the conditions where you have to raise
prices...Insurance companies are businesses."

Brookings Analysis Estimates That Individual Market Premiums Would ​Decrease​ If Not For GOP Sabotage.​​ The
analysis​ predicts that average premiums would fall by 4.3 Percent in 2019 in a stable policy environment.

Protect Our Care | October 2018

APPENDIX: September 2018 OH-12 Poll

From: Anniken Williams, Public Policy Polling

To: Interested Parties
Subject: Republicans in Trouble on ACA, Pre-Existing Conditions; Ohio Voters Say
They’re Less Likely to Support them Due to Health Care Stance
Date: September 21, 2018
A new survey by Public Policy Polling finds that Republicans are in trouble on the issue of the
Affordable Care Act and pre-existing conditions as Ohio voters say they are less likely to support
Republicans due to their stance on health care. In Ohio’s 12​th​ Congressional District, a plurality
of voters (47%) say they would vote for a Democrat who supports the Affordable Care Act over
a Republican who wants to repeal it (45%).
The Trump administration recently went to court to eliminate the health care law’s protections
for people with pre-existing conditions, and voters overwhelmingly oppose their action. 64%
oppose the lawsuit, including a 46% plurality of Republicans.

Key findings in the survey include:

● Health care is an important issue to voters when deciding who to vote for. 61% say it is
either the most important issue or a very important issue when deciding who to vote for.

● Ohioans are very concerned about the possible consequences of repealing the ACA. 59%
of voters think charging people 50+ years old, five times more than younger people for
health insurance is a major concern. Eliminating protections for people with pre-existing
conditions is a major concern for 64% of voters.

PPP surveyed 541 OH 12 voters from September 17-18, 2018. The margin of error is +/- 4.2%.
This poll was conducted by automated telephone interviews.

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Protect Our Care | October 2018