Senate Democrats Draft Bill To Protect Pre-Existing Condition Coverage

A new bill written by Democrats in the Indiana Senate would protect pre-existing condition coverage for Hoosiers if the Affordable Care Act is repealed. The provision is one of the most popular parts of the law, which was ruled unconstitutional last week.

Some parts of the ACA - including protections for pre-existing coverage and the ability to stay on family plans until the age of 26 - would go away if its repealed.

Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) says he and fellow Democrats drafted legislation to ensure insurance still includes pre-existing coverage.

"It would say no matter what happens on a federal level, we're going to continue to have that as a policy in the state of Indiana," says Lanane.

The issue remains a focal point in the political fight around the ACA.

"More and more you hear, both sides of the aisle say oh we want to protect coverage for pre-existing conditions.' Fine, here's a way to make sure we do have that," Lanane says.

Lanane hopes the measure will have bipartisan support in Indiana. The legislative session starts on Jan. 3.